Prepackaged Food Labelling Laws in India and the USA: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

Foodlabelling has always been the top priority in the food regime. This is for the reason that consumers have the right to know about the food products they intend to consume, even prior totheir purchase. One of the most common ways in which food is sold is in a prepackaged form and the international community, has,in view of the aforementioned worked towards ensuring compliance with the Codex Alimentarius which is an International Standard that inter alia lays down standards regarding the labelling of prepackaged food products. India and the United States of America (USA), have accordingly, also enacted significant legislations that govern the labelling of prepackaged food products and these legislations, primarily draw influence from the Codex Alimentarius. The authors, therefore have analysed the general prepackaged food labelling laws that have been enacted by India and the USA to understand their development and the specific requirements spelt out therein, to ensure that they meet the basic requirements of the Codex Alimentarius. At this juncture, it is however, to be noted that the scope of this article is limited to the general food labelling legislations enacted by the respective food authorities/ governments in India and the USA, which are applicable to all kinds of food productsplaced in the market for retail sale and the same shall not cover the scope of labelling requirements as additionally spelt out in certain product-specific legislations.