Nestle Seeks Industry Input on India's Warning Labels Amid Public Health Debate

Nestle's CEO Philipp Navratil has called for India to consult with companies when drafting rules for front-of-pack health labelling on food and drinks. This comes amid a public debate on the lack of such measures in the country, following a recent Reuters report that revealed the Indian government had dropped a proposal after opposition from companies like Coca-Cola and industry groups representing Nestle.

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has been trying to implement warning labels on packaging for years. However, manufacturers argue that it would be scientifically better to have their input in the process. Navratil said, 'It's always good to have a voice from companies; there might be different views (on the subject), We can be part of the debate in terms of making sure it's scientifically done.'

Activists say that consulting with companies would weaken public health policy. Dr. Arun Gupta, convenor of Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest, stated, 'Nestle's call for industry participation in India's labelling rules is a clear attempt to weaken public health policy.' The same company has been voluntarily using warning labels on their products in many European markets.

India's Supreme Court has slammed the New Delhi government for delays and called for implementing front-facing warning labels. Nearly 80% of products made by India's over $100 billion packaged food and beverages market could be regarded as high in fat, sugar, and salt, according to industry estimates.