Walk into any supermarket and pick up a packet of biscuits, cereal or chips. Front-of-pack labelling (FOPL) is a masterclass in communication: attractive colours, catchy claims, endorsements, photographs, and promises of health, energy or goodness. But nutritional reality is usually relegated to a small table on the back. That asymmetry needs to change.
The debate over FOPL has gained urgency after an investigative report said that India's efforts to introduce prominent warnings for products high in sugar, salt and fat faced opposition from sections of the food and beverage industry. The industry has since said India should consult companies while framing new FOPL rules.
