India-Britain FTA and Health Implications

The recent Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and Britain, along with another FTA with four EU nations, is poised to impact India's food market significantly.

Key Features of the FTA

• Tariff-free entry for British food and drink products, including chocolate, gingerbread, sweet biscuits, soft drinks, and non-alcoholic beer.
• Potential for increased import of high fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS) products, raising health concerns.

Health Concerns

• Expected increase in consumption of unhealthy diets amidst rising childhood obesity, diabetes, and other diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in India.
• Per capita consumption of ultra-processed food products increased by nearly 50 times from 2006 to 2019.

Global Comparisons and Lessons

• Mexico's experience with Nafta led to a surge in sugary drinks and processed foods, resulting in obesity and diabetes.
• Countries like Britain, EU nations, Chile, Mexico, Brazil, and Israel have implemented strong food labelling and marketing restrictions.

India's Current Situation

• Lack of mandatory warning labels on HFSS products.
• Weak regulations allow aggressive marketing, cartoon mascots, and celebrity endorsements of unhealthy foods.

Call for Action

India is urged to implement stringent regulations on marketing HFSS foods and introduce mandatory front-of-pack warning labels.

• The Supreme Court and prime minister have emphasized the need for improved food labelling practices.
• Economic and dietary guidelines support the need for regulatory action.

Ultimately, the health ministry is encouraged to take decisive steps to protect children's health and prevent future health crises.