Parliamentary Panel Seeks Tighter Norms For Food Labelling On E-Commerce Platforms

New Delhi, Jul 27 (KNN) The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has recommended setting up a coordinated monitoring mechanism to ensure accurate labelling and prevent misleading claims on packaged food products sold through e-commerce platforms.

In its Fifteenth Report, titled ‘Regulation of Packaged Commodities with specific Reference to Sugar Content in Baby Products and other Food Products’, tabled in the Lok Sabha, the committee noted that the rapid expansion of online food sales has created challenges in ensuring truthful product disclosures, ANI reported.

It suggested that the Department of Consumer Affairs work in coordination with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), State Food Safety Authorities and the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) to monitor and address mislabelling and misleading claims in online listings.

Focus on Sugar Labelling and Consumer Awareness

The committee recommended several measures to improve transparency in sugar disclosures, particularly for food products meant for infants and children. It called for a mandatory sugar-level classification framework under the Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labelling (FOPNL) regime, noting that numerical sugar values alone may not help consumers assess health risks.

It said the framework should be based on scientific thresholds aligned with guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The panel also suggested applying uniform sugar disclosure norms across all packaged food categories and examining the feasibility of setting limits for added sugar, especially in products targeted at infants and young children.

Push for Timely Regulations and Enforcement

Expressing concern over delays in finalising FOPNL regulations first issued in draft form in September 2022, the committee urged FSSAI to notify the rules within a defined timeline. It also recommended colour-coded, simple and visible warning labels for products high in sugar.

To strengthen enforcement, the panel called for graded penalties for repeat violations, time-bound correction or withdrawal of misleading advertisements, and regular public disclosure of enforcement actions.

Need for Greater Coordination

The committee emphasised the importance of improved coordination between regulatory bodies, recommending structured information-sharing mechanisms, joint review meetings and a national-level monitoring framework to ensure compliance and protect consumer interests.

(KNN Bureau)