๐ฎ๐ณ Front-of-Pack Warning Labels (FOPL): Building a Fit and Healthy India – From Vision to Action
๐ฎ๐ณ Front-of-Pack Warning Labels (FOPL): Building a Fit and Healthy India – From Vision to Action
✍️ By Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi
Human Rights Defender, Convenor – PVCHR | Founder – PIPAL
“The health of the people is the foundation of India’s development.”– Inspired by PM Shri Narendra Modi ji’s vision for a Swasth Bharat
On 10 July 2025, during a thoughtful dialogue at KA-Art Gallery, BHU Varanasi, on “The Present Status of Scheduled Castes and Tribes and Kashi's ลramaแนa Tradition,” I submitted a memorandum to Hon’ble MP Shri Tanuj Punia ji, strongly advocating for mandatory Front-of-Pack Warning Labels (FOPL) on harmful ultra-processed foods (UPFs).
This campaign is not just about regulation—it’s a public health revolution aligned with the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji for a “Fit India Movement” and “Healthy India for All.”
๐ The Growing Epidemic
Despite the strides made in sanitation, healthcare, and nutrition under various government schemes, India is witnessing a silent crisis—a surge in lifestyle diseases like diabetes, childhood obesity, heart conditions, and hypertension.
Much of this is fueled by the unregulated spread of ultra-processed foods, especially in rural, semi-urban, and underprivileged areas where label literacy is low and advertising is unchecked.
If this continues, it threatens to derail the government’s vision of:
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Swasth Bharat Abhiyan
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POSHAN Abhiyan
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National Nutrition Mission
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Ayushman Bharat
๐ฆ What is Warning label FOPL, and Why Does It Matter?
Front-of-Pack Warning Labels (FOPL) are simple, visual symbols on the front of packaged foods that alert consumers if a product is high in sugar, salt, or saturated fat. Countries like Chile, Mexico, and Brazil have already implemented FOPL successfully—leading to healthier food choices and corporate accountability.
In India, such warning labels would empower:
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Low-literacy consumers in Bharat’s villages
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Busy urban families
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School-going children
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Tribal and Dalit communities often ignored by mainstream food policy
๐ฏ Vision Fit India, Policy Delay?
While Prime Minister Modi ji has consistently advocated for fitness, yoga, and a balanced diet through the Fit India Movement, policy implementation on unhealthy packaged food is still lagging.
Despite strong support from:
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MPs at the 2023 Roundtable on Ultra-Processed Foods
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Experts from AIIMS, IIPS, and NHRC
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The Economic Survey of India 2024–25
... the FSSAI has delayed the rollout of a robust warning label system—succumbing to food industry pressure.
๐ง A Matter of Social Justice and National Interest
The consumption of UPFs is not just a health issue, but a social justice crisis:
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Tribal, Dalit, and poor children are targets of manipulative advertising.
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Women in rural areas often unwittingly serve harmful food due to lack of information.
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Labourers and migrant families are dependent on cheap, packaged food without knowing the risks.
FOPL can be a game-changer in making the vision of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas” a reality in nutrition governance.
๐️ Our Appeal to Parliament
To realize PM Modi ji's dream of a Fit and Healthy India, we request that:
๐งญ The Road to Swasth Bharat Runs Through Our Plates
Without clear food warnings, citizens are left in the dark—buying and feeding their families harmful products disguised as snacks or health foods.
PM Modi ji's visionary slogans like:
“Poshan bhi, Padhai bhi”“Eat Right, Live Right”“Fit India, Hit India”
... must now translate into strong action on food labelling, advertising restrictions, and corporate accountability.
๐ฃ Join Us in Making India Truly Fit
#FitIndia #FOPL #SwasthBharat #FoodLabelling #RightToKnow #NutritionJustice #ModiVision #EatRightIndia #PublicHealthIndia #PVCHR #UltraProcessedFoods
?? Front-of-Pack Warning Labels (FOPL): Building a Fit and Healthy India – From Vision to Action by pvchr.india9214 on Scribd
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