Introduction
FSSAI food label awareness is back in focus, and the regulator’s message is simple: turn the packet over before you eat what is inside. In a video shared on X and reported on October 22, 2026, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) urged shoppers to check ingredients, allergens, nutrition details and dates, and to look beyond the claims printed on the front of a pack. The campaign runs under the hashtag #HarLabelKuchKehtaHai, which means “every label says something.”
The timing is not accidental. The Supreme Court is weighing mandatory front-of-pack warning labels, regulators are challenging misleading claims, and more groceries now arrive through delivery apps where labels are easy to skip. This article explains what FSSAI wants you to check, what is changing and what it means for your next shopping trip.
What FSSAI Is Asking Consumers to Do
FSSAI wants shoppers to read four things on any packaged food: the ingredients list, nutrition information, allergen declaration and dates. Those are the items its latest video walks through, according to the Free Press Journal. The regulator framed label reading as an essential step toward healthy choices rather than a reliance on front-of-pack marketing, and said understanding labels helps people “look beyond the claims on the pack.”
The message builds on an earlier advisory. On March 6, 2026, FSSAI asked consumers to read labels before buying packaged food as part of its Eat Right India campaign, Kashmir Images reported. That advisory pointed to ingredients, manufacturing and expiry dates, allergens such as gluten and nuts, and the sugar, salt and preservatives that may affect dietary choices.
The campaign itself is not new. An FSSAI media compendium describes Har Label Kuch Kehta Hai as a national effort to help consumers understand the details printed on food labels.
FSSAI Food Label Awareness: What to Check on Every Pack
Five checks cover what FSSAI highlights and what the labelling rules require.
1. Read the ingredients list first
Ingredients appear in descending order of weight, so the first entry is what the product contains most of (Free Press Journal; Freyr Solutions). The list helps you spot added sugars, fats and salt. Look closely at the first few entries.
2. Check the nutrition panel and the serving size
The panel usually lists energy, carbohydrates, protein, total fat, saturated fat, sugar and sodium, which lets you compare similar products. The figures may describe one serving rather than the whole packet. Eating more than one serving raises your intake of calories, sugar, salt and fat.
3. Look for the allergen declaration
Foods and ingredients known to cause allergies must be declared separately, in a “Contains” statement (Freyr Solutions). FSSAI’s March advisory named gluten and nuts as examples. If you or your family have an allergy, read the statement every time, even on products you buy regularly.
4. Check the dates, licence number and veg or non-veg mark
The 2020 regulations require a date of manufacture or packaging and an expiry or use-by date, and “best before” may appear as extra information, a Freyr Solutions summary says. Packs should also show the maker’s 14-digit FSSAI licence or registration number (GoVisually), which FSSAI advises online buyers to check. Labels also carry a vegetarian or non-vegetarian classification.
5. Treat front-of-pack claims as a starting point
Terms such as “healthy,” “100% natural” and “no added sugar” are marketing claims, and FSSAI has been challenging brands that use them without backing, NewsBytes reported. In October 2025, FSSAI also directed businesses to remove the word “ORS” from food product names, according to compliance firm Marketlube. Test any claim against the ingredients list and nutrition panel, and check whether syrups or fruit concentrates appear behind a “no added sugar” promise.
Why FSSAI Is Pushing Label Reading Now
Two developments sit behind the timing: a court-driven debate over warning labels and a fresh advisory on supplement labels, on top of the scrutiny of misleading claims.
The Supreme Court is weighing front-of-pack warnings
On February 10, 2026, the Supreme Court urged FSSAI to consider mandatory front-of-pack labels, such as warnings for high sugar, sodium or saturated fat (FoxMandal). On August 28, FSSAI proposed to the court a red hexagon label in a font one point larger than the back-of-pack nutrition table. Single-ingredient foods and items such as ghee, edible oil, salt, sugar, jaggery and honey would be exempt (ThePrint).
On September 28, the court reserved judgment after questioning FSSAI’s plan to take four months to finalise the rules and then allow a 365-day voluntary period (Moneylife). Reports from mid-October say the labels are not yet mandatory (Nation Path India).
Parliament is pressing too. A parliamentary panel asked FSSAI on July 23 to finalise front-of-pack labelling on a fixed timeline, noting the draft was notified in September 2022 and drew more than 14,000 comments (Deccan Chronicle). The Committee on Subordinate Legislation has also said back-of-pack nutrition tables are often printed in very small fonts (Deccan Herald). Until a simpler label arrives, that small print is where the numbers sit.
Supplement labels draw a warning
On October 19, FSSAI posted an advisory saying several businesses making nutraceuticals, health supplements and foods for special dietary or medical use were not following mandatory labelling and warning-statement rules for plant and botanical ingredients. It warned of action against those who do not comply, PTI reported. Shoppers who use such products should check that the pack carries its warning statements, and speak to a doctor if they have a health condition.
Reading Labels When You Shop Online
Online shoppers should run the same checks before adding a product to the cart, because the listing is all they see until delivery. FSSAI advises online buyers to read the licence number, ingredients, nutrition information and expiry date, according to a Sentinel editorial published on September 12, 2026.
The editorial says FSSAI directed e-commerce food businesses in July to verify product details before listing items and to delist non-compliant ones. It adds that FSSAI planned compliance checks on platforms from October, and that FSSAI teams seized expired food repackaged with fresh labels at dark stores in several cities. This article could not confirm those seizures from an FSSAI statement, so treat that detail as the editorial’s account.
A regulatory summary from Artwork Flow says mandatory label declarations must be accessible to consumers before purchase. If a listing hides the expiry date or ingredients, ask the seller or pick another product. Check the date again when the order arrives.
What Is in Force and What Is Pending
The 2020 rules are the main label rules in force today; the 2026 amendment and any warning labels are still to come.
| Rule | Status as of October 25, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Labelling and Display Regulations, 2020 | In force. Published December 14, 2020 (Freyr Solutions); labelling provisions applied from July 1, 2022 (USDA FAS) |
| First Amendment Regulations, 2026 | Notified March 24, 2026; takes effect July 1, 2027 (Legal 500) |
| Front-of-pack warning labels | Proposed by FSSAI; Supreme Court reserved judgment on September 28; not mandatory in the reports reviewed (Moneylife) |
| Plant and botanical ingredient advisory | Reported October 19; FSSAI warned of action against non-compliance (Nagaland Post) |
The 2026 amendment relaxes some rules and tightens others. Packs with a surface area up to 100 cm² will be exempt from showing the FSSAI logo, fortified foods must say “Fortified with” and show the prescribed logo, and products with specified artificial sweeteners must carry prescribed warnings (Legal 500).
Why This Matters
Reading the label is a food-safety check every shopper can do alone, and the stakes differ by reader.
- Shoppers with allergies or health conditions: The allergen statement and the sugar, salt and fat figures are the starting point. A label cannot say whether a food suits your health needs, so ask a doctor or dietitian about specific diets.
- Online buyers: The listing is what you see first, so dates and licence details deserve a second look on delivery.
- Food businesses: The 2026 amendment starts on July 1, 2027, and front-of-pack warnings could force packaging redesigns if the court makes them mandatory.
The wider point is that labels shift effort onto consumers. A parliamentary committee has said current labels are often hard for the average consumer to interpret (Deccan Herald), which is why the warning-label case matters. Until that changes, reading the back of the pack remains the practical option. This article is general information, not medical advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is FSSAI asking people to read food labels?
FSSAI says labels help people understand what they are eating and make choices that go beyond front-of-pack claims. It repeated the message in a campaign video reported on October 22, 2026, after a March 6 advisory under Eat Right India.
What should I check first on a packaged food label in India?
Start with the ingredients list, which runs in descending order of weight. Then check the nutrition panel and serving size, the allergen statement, the expiry or use-by date and the FSSAI licence number.
Are front-of-pack warning labels mandatory in India yet?
Not according to reports from mid-October. FSSAI has proposed a red hexagon for foods high in fat, sugar or salt, and the Supreme Court reserved judgment on September 28, 2026. The ruling and any final notification will decide the timing.
Can I trust claims such as “healthy” or “100% natural”?
Treat them as claims to verify, not facts. FSSAI has challenged brands that use such wording without backing, so compare the claim with the ingredients list and nutrition panel.
How do I check labels when ordering groceries online?
Open the product listing before adding it to the cart and look for the licence number, ingredients, nutrition information and expiry date, as FSSAI advises. Check the date again when the order arrives.
Conclusion
FSSAI’s latest appeal asks little of shoppers: a habit of turning the pack over. A label will not make a food healthy, but it shows what is in it, how much you may be eating and whether it is still within date.
Much now depends on the Supreme Court’s pending ruling on front-of-pack warnings. If the labels become mandatory, they could make the quick check easier. Until then, the back of the pack is where the answers are.
Sources and References
Consulted on October 25, 2026. The editor notes below say which pages were read in full.
- Know What You Eat: FSSAI Highlights The Importance Of Understanding Food Labels, Free Press Journal, October 22, 2026
- FSSAI urges consumers to read food labels, Kashmir Images, March 7, 2026
- FSSAI urges consumers to read food labels before purchasing packaged items, Asian Mail, March 6, 2026
- FSSAI media compendium (Har Label Kuch Kehta Hai), Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
- Reading the food label before clicking “Add to Cart”, The Sentinel (Assam), September 12, 2026
- FSSAI warns against violation of mandatory labelling norms, PTI via Nagaland Post, October 20, 2026
- SC Urges FSSAI to Consider Front-of-Pack Warning Labels, Fox Mandal, February 2026
- After earful from SC, FSSAI proposes front-of-pack labels for packaged foods with added sugar, fat, salt, ThePrint, August 28, 2026
- Why Waste So Much Time? SC Questions FSSAI’s 365-day Voluntary Timeline for Food Warning Labels, Reserves Judgement, Moneylife, September 28, 2026
- Food Warning Labels in India: Supreme Court Questions FSSAI Timeline, Reserves Judgment, Nation Path India
- Par Panel Urges FSSAI to Finalise Front-of-Pack Labelling Norms, PTI via Deccan Chronicle, July 23, 2026
- Food labels difficult to read and interpret for consumers, says House panel reviewing FSSAI regulation, Deccan Herald
- Indian FSSAI’s New Labelling Rules 2026, Legal 500 (Global Advertising Lawyers Alliance), September 25, 2026
- Decode the FSSAI’s New Labeling & Display Regulations, Freyr Solutions
- India’s FSSAI Extends Implementation Date of the Labeling Provisions of Four Regulations, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service GAIN Report IN2021-0130
- FSSAI challenges misleading label claims as market nears $60B, NewsBytes
- FSSAI Labelling Rules 2026: A Checklist for Food Packs, Marketlube, October 7, 2026
- A Beginner’s Guide to Food Labelling Regulations in India (2026 FSSAI Update), GoVisually
- FSSAI Labeling Updates, Artwork Flow