Gaps in Food Labelling Accuracy Come Into Focus Across Indian Packaged Foods

Rashida Vapiwala, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of LabelBlind Solutions, said an independent review of over five thousand claims points to widespread lapses in health and nutrition labelling compliance.

New Delhi, February 5, 2026: Concerns around the accuracy and compliance of health and nutrition claims on packaged food labels have gained renewed attention following a large scale independent assessment of food labelling practices across India’s packaged food sector.
The assessment was conducted by LabelBlind Solutions Private Limited and examined 5,058 individual labelling claims across 18 commonly consumed food categories. The findings indicate that 33.6 percent of the claims reviewed were either non compliant with existing regulations or lacked adequate substantiation requiring further brand verification. Of these, 21.3 percent were found to be non compliant, while 12.3 percent did not meet substantiation requirements under current regulatory norms.

The review evaluated compliance against standards issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, guidelines of the Advertising Standards Council of India, and relevant provisions of the Consumer Protection Act 2019.
Everyday household staples emerged as the most affected categories. The analysis showed that health claims failed compliance checks in 80 percent of honey products, 65.5 percent of ghee products, 54.3 percent of tea and herbal infusions, and 52.9 percent of edible oils. These categories, which are consumed regularly across Indian households, accounted for the highest proportion of non compliant labelling claims.

The study also examined newer and innovation driven food segments. Among these, 29 percent of claims made on plant based beverages, 28.6 percent on ready to eat meals, and 27.3 percent on packaged snack products were found to be non compliant. The findings suggest that faster product innovation cycles may be outpacing internal compliance checks in emerging food categories.
Commenting on the implications, Rashida Vapiwala said food labelling plays a critical role in enabling informed consumer choices around health and nutrition. She said that as consumers move further away from direct relationships with food producers, labels have become the primary point of communication and trust. She added that clarity and accuracy on food labels are not only regulatory requirements but also public health responsibilities.

The findings align with broader regulatory trends. Recent complaint data from the Advertising Standards Council of India has consistently placed the food and beverage sector among the most scrutinised categories, with a significant share of cases linked to health and nutrition related claims.
LabelBlind has urged packaged food companies to strengthen internal governance around the use of health and nutrition claims, particularly for everyday food products. The company has also called for earlier integration of compliance checks during product development and greater use of digital systems to manage regulatory requirements as scrutiny intensifies and consumer awareness increases.

At Prittle PrattleNews, featuring you virtuously, we celebrate the commitment and innovation. Led by Editor-in-Chief Smruti Bhalerao, our platform is dedicated to sharing impactful stories that inspire change and create awareness. Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube for more stories that matter.