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FRONT OF PACKAGE LABELLING (FOPL) SYSTEM

FRONT OF PACKAGE LABELLING (FOPL) SYSTEM

Why in News?

Recently, 40 global health experts claimed that the “health star rating” system that the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) plans to adopt to help consumers reduce their intake of unhealthy foods is “not evidence-based” and has failed to alter buyer behavior.

About

• In India, Front of Package Labelling (FOPL) was first recommended in 2014 by an expert committee constituted by FSSAI in 2013.
• In 2019, the FSSAI issued draft notification Food Safety Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations.
• The draft mandates colour-coded labels on food items.
• In 2019 December, the FSSAI delinked FOPL from general labelling regulations.
• On 15th February 2022 the FSSAI decided to adopt the “health-star rating system” in its draft regulations for Front of Package Labelling (FOPL).

Health Star Rating (HSR) System

• Health-star rating system gives a product 1/2 a star to 5 stars.
• The HSR format ranks a packaged food item based on salt, sugar, and fat content and the rating will be printed on the front of the package.
• The rating will be the first such in India, a country burdened with lifestyle diseases, and is aimed at guiding consumers to opt for healthy food.

Front-of-Pack (FoP) Labelling System

• FoP labelling system has long been listed as one of the global best practices to nudge consumers into healthy food choices.
• It works just the way cigarette packets are labelled with images to discourage consumption.
• As India is experiencing a dietary shift, with people increasingly consuming more processed and ultra-processed foods and a burgeoning market, these factors prompt the need for FoP labelling for India.
• It will play a handy role in fighting increasing obesity and many non-communicable diseases.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) defines FoP labels as nutrition labelling systems that are presented on the front of food packages in the principal field of vision, and present simple, often graphic information on the nutrient content or nutritional quality of products.
• To complement the more detailed nutrient declarations provided on the back of food packages.
• The Codex Alimentarius Commission mentions that “FoP labelling is designed to assist in interpreting nutrient declarations”.

Need for Health Rating System for Food

Save Healthcare Costs: Most of the countries have started to reap the benefits from positive consumer behaviour since the implementation of the FoPL. It has helped those governments to save money from direct and indirect healthcare costs. Chile and Brazil are among the countries that have adopted 'high-in' warning labels upfront on their food packs, which has succeeded in reducing consumption of unhealthy ultra-processed foods and beverages.

To Promote a Healthier Lifestyle: In India, front-of-package warning labelling is a major component of a comprehensive strategy to promote a healthier lifestyle, as they enable consumers to identify products high in sugar, sodium, saturated fats, trans fats, and total fats, which are critical nutrients associated with Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

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