Participating in the workshop, Advocate Ajoy Hazarika, Secretary Consumers’ Legal Protection Forum, Assam said, “Consumption of ultra-processed foods and packaged foods is in the rise in Assam and irrespective of the socio economic background, it is putting the lives of our children and youth at peril. We can improve the situation by letting the consumers make the right choice with a simple warning label on the front of food packets for unhealthy foods. A front of pack warning label on packaged foods will help consumers identify the products that are high in salt, sugar and fat. FSSAI needs to accept WHO advisory standards set for India for limiting the Nutritional Profiles. Also, in FOPL they have proposed HSR label design which star ratings formula which consumers can never understand. As consumer organization, working at the grass root level we need to emphasize that a simple Warning Label symbol is always better for consumer understanding.”

While sensitizing the consumers with a presentation on FOPL and its importance, Rinki Sharma of Consumer VOICE, said that “Amidst the rising concerns over obesity and other non-communicable diseases ailments in our country, it becomes imperative for consumers to be a stakeholder in deciding what to eat and what is to be avoided. Front-of-Pack warning labeling represents a key component of a comprehensive strategy to promote healthier lives. It enables consumers to identify in a quick, clear and effective way, products high in salt, sugar and fats”

Noted Health Expert Dr.R.N.Mazumder , while emphasizing on the harmful effects of packaged foods and rise in NCD burden in the state and in India, stresses diets high in salt, sugar and fats is a major risk factor for these chronic and difficult to treat ailments. “This has to be approached scientifically and the best model to be adopted for a country like India is the WHO SEARO nutrition profile model which has detailed specification about how much salt, sugar and fats are allowed in each type of food item. It is a globally agreed model and we would do well to just adopt it and make a tangible impact on health outcomes.”

Anupam Gogoi, Food ANALYST & Samiran Baruah, Designated Officer, Commissionate of Food Safety, Govt. of Assam while stressing the need for front of pack labels on packaged foods, has assured that “as state level custodians, we will ensure that food companies are abiding by the standards which will improve the health of consumers of the state. This should be based on global best practices. Since we are responsible for consumer’s health by monitoring the market place, we will always support consumers taking onus of taking precautions on consumption of unhealthy foods by looking at the label which is understood well with the symbol of HIGH IN salt , sugar or saturated fats. FOPL will work best when it is made mandatory immediately and comes under the purview of FSOs and applies to all packaged products, and the label is interpretative, simplistic and readily visible, guided by a strong nutrient profile model.”

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Coverage News

⇨ Consumer Organizations Urge For Mandatory Front Of Pack Warning Labels On Packaged Foods For Safeguarding Consumers’ Health

March 21, 2022 |Azirkhobor

Consumer activists, government officials, doctors and consumers in general came together in Hotel Riviera, Guwahati today for a stakeholders’ consultation on front of pack labeling… read more

⇨ কনজিউমাৰ্চ লীগেল প্ৰটেকশ্যন ফৰামৰ উদ্যোগত কৰ্মশালা

March 21, 2022 | W7S News

সমগ্ৰ দেশৰ লগতে অসমতো পেকেজড খাদ্যৰ ব্যৱহাৰৰ সমান্তৰাল ভাৱে বৃদ্ধি পাইছে হৃদ আৰু অন্যান্য অসংক্ৰমিত ৰোগীৰ সংখ্যা। সোমবাৰে গুৱাহাটীৰ হোটেল ৰিভেৰাত কনজিউমাৰ্চ লীগেল প্ৰটেকশ্যন ফৰাম, অসম আৰু  কনজিউমাৰ ভয়েচ… read more

⇨ Customer organizations demand to write compulsory alert message on packaged food

March 21, 2022 | First News Report

Along with the whole country, the number of heart and other infected patients is increasing in parallel to the use of packaged food in Assam… read more

⇨ ‘পেকেজিং খাদ্যই ৬৭ শতাংশ লোকৰ দেহত বহুমূত্ৰ, হাইপাৰটেনশ্যন ৰোগৰ সৃষ্টি কৰে’- কনজিউমাৰ্চ লীগেল প্ৰটেকশ্যন ফৰামৰ কৰ্মশালা

March 21, 2022 | Asomiyapratidin

সমগ্ৰ দেশৰ লগতে অসমতো পেকেজড খাদ্যৰ ব্যৱহাৰৰ সমান্তৰাল ভাৱে বৃদ্ধি পাইছে হৃদ আৰু অন্যান্য অসংক্ৰমিত ৰোগীৰ সংখ্যা… read more

Print coverage of Assam click here

While sensitizing the consumers on FOPL and its importance, Ms. Ekta Purohit, Manager, Projects, Consumer VOICE, said that “Amidst the rising concerns over obesity and other non-communicable diseases (NCD) ailments in our country, it becomes imperative for consumers to be a stakeholder in deciding what to eat and what is to be avoided. Front-of-Pack warning labeling represents a key component of a comprehensive strategy to promote healthier lives. It enables consumers to identify in a quick, clear and effective way, products high in salt, sugar and fats.”

Dr. S.K.Saxena while emphasizing on the harmful effects of packaged foods and rise in NCD burden in the state and in India, stressed that diets high in salt, sugar and fats is a major risk factor for these chronic and difficult to treat ailments. He said that one should be careful about contamination of food from the recycles packaging material as well. He also emphasized that consumption of ultra-processed foods and packaged foods is in the rise in (state) irrespective of the socio economic background, and it is putting the lives of our children and youth in danger.

Dr. Nilima Verma, Director, MPIHTTS, made a presentation on type of package food, packaging material and different types of labels, changes in logos to notify type of food being used in India. She also stressed that label should be clearly visible, readable and understandable and labeling should be food specific. Besides the level of different nutrients there should be date of manufacture and date of expiry. This will allow the consumers make the right choice with a simple warning label on the front of food packets for unhealthy foods. A front of pack warning label on packaged foods will help consumers identify the products that are high in salt, sugar and fat. She further advised the consumers to be smart shopper, compare food label, know what you are eating and choose healthy food.

Shri Sandeep Victor representing Food and Drugs, Madhya Pradesh said that the idea of a simple and understandable FOPL is good. Once the guideline for this is notified this will be implemented in Madhya Pradesh.

Prof. (Dr.) Sanjeev Gupta, Associate Professor, Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication said that health issues and importance of FOPL as discuss in the consultation needs to be disseminated among the larger population where media could play a major role.

Dr. Nandi, DG, NCHSE said that in India Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and obesity are of growing concern.

He expressed doubt about the acceptability of proposal of FOPL having HSR label design with star ratings formula and said that consumers can never understand these. As consumer organization, working at the grass root level we need to emphasize that a simple Warning Label symbol with threshold level is always better for consumer understanding“.

Certificates were distributed to all the participants. The programme was conducted by Ms. Monica Sharma and Aiman Zubair of MPIHTTS and Mr. Avinash Shrivastava of NCHSE.

Kolkata | Rajkot | Chandigarh | Shimla | Bhopal | Guwahati | Lucknow

Coverage News

⇨ yogya chitramaya FOPL apnaya jana chahiye

March 20, 2022 | Subha Savere

 read more

⇨ A simple, attractive and easily understandable pictographic FOPL providing energy intake comparable to conventional food should be adopted to safeguard consumers’ health in India

March 21, 2022 |untold India News

On the occasion of World Consumer Rights Day 2022, National Centre for Human Settlements & Environment in partnership with Consumer VOICE and MP Institute of Hospitality Travel & Tourism Studies (MPIHTTS), Bhopal organized a stakeholder’s consultation on ‘Front of Pack Warning Labels... read more

⇨ बीमारियों से रोज बढ़ती चिंताएं, भारत में उपभोक्ताओं के स्वास्थ्य की रक्षा जरूरी

March 17, 2022 |The Sootr

विश्व उपभोक्ता अधिकार दिवस 2022 के अवसर पर, 16 मार्च 2022 को  कंस्यूमर वॉयस और एमपी इंस्टीट्यूट ऑफ हॉस्पिटैलिटी ट्रैवल एंड टूरिज्म स्टडीज (MPIHTTS), भोपाल के साथ साझेदारी में नेशनल सेंटर फॉर ह्यूमन सेटलमेंट्स एंड एनवायरनमेंट… read more

⇨ भारत में उपभोक्ताओं के स्वास्थ्य की रक्षा के लिए पारंपरिक भोजन की तुलना में ऊर्जा की खपत प्रदान करने वाला एक सरल, आकर्षक और आसानी से समझने योग्य चित्रमय एफओपीएल अपनाया जाना चाहिए।

March 17, 2022 | Kabir Mission

विश्व उपभोक्ता अधिकार दिवस 2022 के अवसर पर, 16 मार्च 2022 को कंस्यूमर वॉयस और एमपी इंस्टीट्यूट ऑफ हॉस्पिटैलिटी ट्रैवल एंड टूरिज्म स्टडीज… read more

⇨ A simple, attractive and easily understandable pictographic FOPL providing energy intake comparable to conventional food should be adopted to safeguard consumers’ health in India

March 17, 2022 | Untold India News

On the occasion of World Consumer Rights Day 2022, National Centre for Human Settlements & Environment in partnership with Consumer VOICE and MP Institute of Hospitality Travel & Tourism Studies (MPIHTTS), Bhopal organized a stakeholder’s consultation… read more

Print coverage of Madhya Pradesh  click here

In Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, Consumer VOICE in association with Himachal Upabhogkta Sanrakshan Parishad organized organized a stakeholders consultation in Bachhat Bhawan, DC’s office complex on 16th March, 2022.

The event was well organized and inaugurated by Ms Mamta Mukta, Chief Advisor who set the tone of the workshop by talking about unhealthy food packets and importance of correct labels.

This was then carried forward by Nilanjana Bose, Project Head, Food and Nutrition, Consumer VOICE who gave a presentation on ‘What and Why FOPL is needed in India’. She said that said that “Amidst the rising concerns over obesity and other non-communicable diseases ailments in our country, it becomes imperative for consumers to be a stakeholder in deciding what to eat and what is to be avoided. Front-of-Pack warning labelling represents a key component of a comprehensive strategy to promote healthier lives. It enables consumers to identify in a quick, clear and effective way, products high in salt, sugar and fats”.

The chief guest of the event, Shri Ramesh Gangotra, Chairman, Himachal Pradesh Food Commission, took a keen interest in the subject and elaborated on the activities of his department. He understood the importance of Front of Pack Warning labels and urged all that such workshops should be conducted at the district and block level for better sensitization.

Dr Vikas Bhatia of Health Mission, Dr Medha, Dr Arshya, residents of IGMC Shimla and Dr Ashok Mangla, District Food Safety Officer elaborated on the harmful effects of packaged foods that are rich in salt, sugar and fats.

Shri Shiv Dutt Bhardwaj, Chairman of Himachal Upabhogkta Sanrakshan Parishad pledged support on behalf of consumer organisations in the state to support Consumer VOICE and the government in making the Himachal Pradesh a healthy state.

An interactive question answer session followed the discussion.

Kolkata | Rajkot | Chandigarh | Shimla | Bhopal | Guwahati | Lucknow

Print coverage of Himachal Pradesh click here

On the occasion of World Consumer Rights Day, Consumer VOICE in association with Citizens Awareness Group organized the workshop on Front of Pack Labeling for Packaged Foods at Chandigarh Press Club. “Consumption of ultra-processed foods and packaged foods is in the rise in the region and irrespective of the socio-economic background, it is putting the lives of our children and youth at peril. We can improve the situation by letting the consumers make the right choice with a simple warning label on the front of food packets for unhealthy foods. A front of pack warning label on packaged foods will help consumers identify the products that are high in salt, sugar and fat.  FSSAI needs to accept WHO advisory standards set for India for limiting the Nutritional Profiles. Also, in FOPL they have proposed HSR label design which star ratings formula which consumers can never understand. As consumer organization, working at the grass root level we need to emphasize that a simple Warning Label symbol is always better for consumer understanding. “

While sensitizing the consumers with a presentation on FOPL and its importance, Nilanjana Bose of Consumer VOICE, said that “Amidst the rising concerns over obesity and other non-communicable diseases ailments in our country, it becomes imperative for consumers to be a stakeholder in deciding what to eat and what is to be avoided. Front-of-Pack warning labelling represents a key component of a comprehensive strategy to promote healthier lives. It enables consumers to identify in a quick, clear and effective way, products high in salt, sugar and fats”.

Dr Poonam Khanna, Associate Professor Nutrition, Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, PGIMER, Chandigarh while addressing the workshop said, “Strengthening taxation and regulatory laws related to unhealthy foods; Implementing nutritional labelling to inform consumers; and improving nutritional literacy to empower the population are the important strategies in preventing NCDs. Front-of-package labelling (FOPL) is a visual guide that enables the consumers to make informed and healthier choices. It supports consumers to correctly, quickly, and easily identify products that contain excessive amounts of sugars, total fats, saturated fats, trans fats, and sodium. While a variety of FOP labelling approaches and designs are now in use worldwide, simple, negative warning labels that clearly identify unhealthy products thus far appear most effective for discouraging junk food and ultra-processed food choices.”

Sukhwinder Singh, In charge Food Safety Department, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) also spoke on the occasion. He stressed on the need for proper labelling of such foods. He said now when consumer is also very aware of consumer laws, there is a need to inform them about the health hazards of processed packaged foods.

The workshop was inaugurated by Satya Pal Jain, the Additional Solicitor General of India who also spoke on the occasion.

Among those present on the occasion were Dr Seema Bijlani, Principal Moti Ram Sr Sec School, Anju Katyal, Councillor, Dr Deepak Jindal President Chandigarh Management Association, Shikha Nijhawan, and Superiya Goel among others.

Kolkata | Rajkot | Chandigarh | Shimla | Bhopal | Guwahati | Lucknow

Coverage News

⇨ पैक्ड फूड प्रोडक्ट्स पर उचित लेवलिग अनिवार्य : सुखविदर

March 15, 2022 |Dainik Jagaran

पैक्ड फूड प्रोड्क्ट पर फ्रंट आफ पैक (एफओपी) होनी अनिवार्य है। लोगों में एफओपी के प्रति जागरूकता जगाने के लिए शहर की सिटीजन अवेयरनेस ग्रुप अभियान शुरू करेगा।… read more

⇨ Experts for Mandatory Front of Pack Warning Labels on Packaged Foods

March 15, 2022 |Buzzing Chandigarh

On the occasion of World Consumer Rights Day, Citizens Awareness Group and New Delhi based Consumer VOICE organized a workshop on Front of Pack Labeling for Packaged Foods... read more

⇨ Experts for Mandatory Front of Pack Warning Labels on Packaged Foods

March 15, 2022 | Chandigarh Headline

On the occasion of World Consumer Rights Day, Citizens Awareness Group and New Delhi based Consumer VOICE organized a workshop on Front of Pack Labeling for Packaged Foods … read more

⇨ Experts for Mandatory Front of Pack Warning Labels on Packaged Foods

March 15, 2022 |Newz New

On the occasion of World Consumer Rights Day, Citizens Awareness Group and New Delhi based Consumer VOICE organized a workshop on Front of Pack Labeling for Packaged Foods at Chandigarh Press Club... read more

Print coverage of chandigarh click here

The distinguished guests and participants received a warm welcome by Shri Ramjibhai B Mavani, Ex MP Lok Sabha and Founder President of Rajkot Saher Jila Grahak Suraksha Mandal who introduced the topic of Front of Pack Lables and raised the need for a strong FOPL on unhealthy food packets in India. He also asserted that ‘as consumer organization, working at the grass root level we need to emphasize that a simple Warning Label symbol is always better for consumer understanding.”

While inaugurating the event, Shri Pradipbhai Dev, Hon’ble Mayor of Rajkot Corporation, said that “Consumption of ultra-processed foods and packaged foods is in the rise in  Gujarat and irrespective of the socio economic background, it is putting the lives of our children and youth at peril. We can improve the situation by letting the consumers make the right choice with a simple warning label on the front of food packets for unhealthy foods. A front of pack warning label on packaged foods will help consumers identify the products that are high in salt, sugar and fat.”

Hemant Upadhaya, Project Advisor, Consumer VOICE made a presentation on the subject and spoke on the three important aspects that is of prime importance at the moment – Nutrition Profile Model or NPM threshold levels, the important of Warning lable as the design for FOPL and making it mandatory on food packets.  He also reiterated the importance of ‘High In’ Warning labels.

The event was attended by important government officials including Dr J M Shah, Chief of Food and Drugs Dept., Gujarat, Dr Pankajbhai Rathod, Haealth officer, Rajkot Municipal Corporation and Dr Ajaybhai Bhandri , Health Officer, Rajkot Jilla Panchayat.

The special guests from the health fraternity were there to talk about the health harms of packaged foods and the need to curb salt, sugar and fats from the diet. It was attended by Dr R S Trivedi, Director and Dr Hareshbhai Trivedi, Head, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhaya Government Medical College, Rajkot, Dr  V K Gupta, Rajkot Cancer Hospital and Dr Dinesh Raj, Flex Cardio  Care Hospital, Rajkot.

The event was well attended by consumer activists, youth, parents, doctors, health and nutrition experts besides media. It was well covered by both print and electronic media.

 
Kolkata | Rajkot | Chandigarh | Shimla | Bhopal | Guwahati | Lucknow

Print coverage of Gujarat click here

Consumer activists, government officials, doctors and consumers in general came together in various states across India on the second week of March, 2022 for a stakeholders’ consultation on front of pack labeling for packaged foods organized by based Consumer VOICE with various state partners.

The country as a whole is burdened with NCDs and cardio vascular diseases. The crisis is directly linked to excessive consumption of processed food that are high in sugar, salt and saturated fats. India is also one of the fastest growing markets for ultra-processed packaged foods. Many of these pre-packaged foods are processed with high levels of added sugars, sodium, saturated fats, and refined carbohydrates. Research has found these nutrients of concern are connected to NCDs directly.

In order to tackle the growing burden of nutrition-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs), government-led strategies and policies have been introduced to improve the diet in the population. Among the variety of possible interventions, Front-Of-Pack nutrition labels (FOPLs) have received growing attention from public authorities, and are now considered one of the key policies to tackle Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, hypertension, obesity, cardiovascular diseases etc. Globally and in India, this account for almost 67% of the deaths.

The workshops sensitized the consumers in the states on the importance of Front of Warning lables and the need to have them on unhealthy packaged foods.

Kolkata | Rajkot | Chandigarh | Shimla | Bhopal | Guwahati | Lucknow