India Ditches Sugar Warning Labels Amid Pushback from Multinationals

India's sugar warnings on packaged foods have been watered down, allowing multinational companies to profit from selling high-sugar products to consumers. According to a recent report by Reuters, India's food safety regulator abandoned plans for prominent health warning labels on the front of food packaging after facing pushback from consumer giants like Coca-Cola.

The same brand of Fanta sold in London has 63 calories, while the Indian version contains three times as much sugar. The colorant's presence is noted merely in small print on the back of the can, unlike in Europe where a prominent health warning is required.

Industry executives and health experts say that lobbying by interest groups has 'almost paralyzed' regulators from enacting tougher standards. Health activists have petitioned the Supreme Court, which directed regulators to consider warning labels after being rebuked for backing off on interpretive labeling.