Good governance for Indian consumers

In the last year there have been several notifications that have been issued by the food safety authority in India concerning labelling requirements for packaged goods. 

We welcome them and below are some of the things that you will start to see on packaged goods that are placed at your local retail shelf.

• Veg logo has always been a green dot and now they has specified the minimum size of it based on the sqcm of the package. It also needs to be in the front of the package displayed in close proximity to the brand name.
• Non veg logo is now going from a red dot to a red triangle (within a square). To assist those who have a problem seeing colour green. Currently if the printer has not done a good job, or if the package is placed a few feet away, its hard to determine if the product is vegetarian or non-vegetarian.
• USP (unit selling price) to be printed. Meaning what is the cost of it per gram. That way consumers can compare the price two competing products that have different packaging sizes. Clever, very clever.. and we welcome this! 
• RDA% (recommended dietary allowance) is mandatory now which is based on a 2000 calorie diet. This is very much like the information displayed in Europe or the United States.
• Minimum font sizes based on package sqcm.

These standards are now formalised, and I'm certain the impact it will have on consumers will be good. People can now compare two different brands and see which one is more expensive. They also have a clear idea of the amount of added sugar is there per serving and per 100g and how much % of it is recommended to consume in one day.

These are great steps towards a more informed consumer and hats-off to the authorities to make it happen.