Health can't be compromised: SC gives Centre 2-week ultimatum on junk food labels

The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to decide within two weeks on front-of-pack warning labels for packaged foods. The court linked the issue to public health concerns as obesity and ultra-processed food consumption rise.The SC has asked the Centre to decide within 2 weeks on front-of-pack warning labels for packaged foods.The Supreme Court has slammed the Centre over front-of-pack warning labels on packaged foods, saying public health cannot be compromised and questioning the government's reluctance to adopt food-labelling standards followed in developed countries.A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran has given the Centre two weeks to take a decision on the issue, making it clear that if the government does not act on its own, the court will consider issuing further directions.The court's intervention comes amid growing concerns over obesity and the rapid expansion of ultra-processed food consumption in India.During the hearing, Justice Pardiwala questioned the Centre's argument that India could not match international standards on food labelling. “Should India remain an underdeveloped country?” the judge asked, saying the issue was being placed before the Centre for its consideration.The court also said that if the government implemented the measure on its own, “well and good”, otherwise it would proceed with further directions. The case relates to a public interest litigation filed by NGO 3S and Our Health Society, represented by advocate Rajiv Shankar Dvivedi, seeking mandatory front-of-pack warning labels on packaged foods to clearly indicate high levels of sugar, salt and saturated fats.The Supreme Court had earlier expressed dissatisfaction with the steps taken by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), observing that the exercise undertaken so far had not produced a concrete outcome.It had subsequently asked the authorities to consider putting warnings directly on the front of packaged food products.WHY SC PUSHING FOR WARNING LABELSThe court has linked food safety and nutrition to the right to health and the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. It has emphasised that foods high in sugar, salt and saturated fats can pose health risks and that consumers need clear information to make healthier choices.The issue has assumed greater urgency with the rise in obesity, particularly among children.The Economic Survey 2025-26 described obesity as a major public health challenge and attributed the trend to unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles and increasing consumption of ultra-processed foods.It said 24 per cent of Indian women and 23 per cent of Indian men were overweight or obese, based on NFHS 2019-21 data.The survey also found that India's ultra-processed food market grew by more than 150 per cent between 2009 and 2023.The government's own Economic Survey has said ultra-processed foods are displacing traditional dietary patterns and worsening diet quality, while linking high consumption to a range of adverse health outcomes, including obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.- EndsPublished By: Karishma Saurabh KalitaPublished On: Aug 27, 2026 10:59 IST