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Food Giants Cut Sugar, Salt Ahead of Label Warnings
14 Sep
Summary
- Companies are reducing sugar, salt, and fats before final labeling rules.
- Multinationals are cutting ingredients due to global headquarters' mandates.
- Reformulation efforts take at least six to eight months to complete.
Food and beverage companies are rapidly reformulating products to lower sugar, salt, and saturated fat content, anticipating mandatory front-of-pack warning labels. This proactive measure is being taken well before the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) finalizes its regulations.
Executives report that reformulation, which can take six to eight months, is being fast-tracked to avoid potential negative sales impacts from proposed red hexagonal warning labels. Multinational companies are also initiating these reductions ahead of their global headquarters' deadlines for the first time.
Global entities like Coca-Cola, Nestle, Danone, and PepsiCo, often part of the International Food and Beverage Alliance, have voluntarily pledged to reduce these ingredients across markets. However, recent actions in India signal a quicker pace, driven by the impending FSSAI rules.
Nestle India has reported steady progress in reducing salt, added sugar, and fat. Britannia India also noted significant reductions in sugar and sodium levels during FY 2025-26 compared to its FY 2018-19 baseline, aligning with FSSAI's initiatives.
