More sugar, different labels: How global food brands treat the Indian market

More sugar, different labels: How global food brands treat the Indian market

Author: The Hindu August 31, 2026 Duration: 26:34
“Do you not want people to be healthy?” That was the question the Supreme Court put to the FSSAI earlier this month, while hearing a case over warning labels on the front of packaged food, for foods high in sugar, salt, and fat. The Court questioned why the regulator had delayed implementing stronger warnings, particularly when the issue directly concerns public health and children.The question becomes even more significant now, after a media investigation found that some of the world’s biggest food and beverage brands use substantially different formulations for their products in India and abroad, with Indian products containing higher levels of sugar, salt or fat, along with less prominent health warnings.So, what determines what consumers get on their shelves and how much protection do our food-safety rules really provide? To understand this, today, on In Focus, we’re joined by Hyderabad-based paediatrician Dr. Sivaranjani Santosh, whose eight-year fight over the misleading use of “ORS” label on high-sugar electrolyte drinks eventually led to FSSAI banning the use of the term by products that do not follow the prescribed formulation. Guest: Dr. Sivaranjani Santosh, Paediatrician Host: Rishita Khanna Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Each week, the journalists at In Focus by The Hindu select one pressing story from the news cycle and slow it down. Rather than a rapid headline, you’ll hear a thoughtful conversation that unpacks the layers behind an event-the historical precedents, the economic forces, the political nuances, and the human impact. This podcast relies on conversations with reporters who have been on the ground and specialists who have spent years, sometimes decades, studying a particular issue. The result is a clearer, more substantive understanding of what’s happening in India and around the world. You might explore the roots of a regional conflict one episode, and dive into the complexities of a new environmental policy the next. It’s designed for anyone who feels that the daily news skim leaves too many questions unanswered. Tune in for a consistent, deep-dive format that prioritizes context over instant reaction, making sense of the week’s most significant developments through careful analysis and expert insight.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

In Focus by The Hindu
Podcast Episodes
Are Satellite Towns the way ahead to decongest our megacities? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:58
The Karnataka Government has been championing a project to build a nearly 10,000 acre Live-Work-Play greenfield city on its outskirts in Bidadi, which has become a political flashpoint as farmers oppose land acquisition.…
How does India view the Mecca pact? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:50
The Mecca Defence Pact between Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan marks a significant shift in West Asia’s security landscape. What does the agreement mean for India, and could it reshape the regional balance of power? I…
MDR charges on UPI transactions: Necessity or revenue grab? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:38
Indians make around 24 billion UPI (Unified Payments Interface) transactions a month. The combined value of these payments is nearly Rs30 trillion. UPI is at the heart of India’s digital public infrastructure. The best t…
The Ken-Betwa protest: Is there really surplus water to transfer? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:34
The Ken-Betwa Link Project, India's first river-linking project, has once again come under the spotlight amid protests by villagers, many from tribal communities, who fear displacement and question the rehabilitation pro…
In Focus-Parley | Should the Commonwealth Games be scrapped? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:49
The recently concluded Commonwealth Games were unlike the usual multidisciplinary sporting extravaganzas that we are used to seeing. A late replacement to Victoria as host, the Glasgow Games were more akin to an abridged…
Why has India's hockey jersey turned saffron? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:34
For decades, blue has been synonymous with Indian sport. So why has Hockey India decided to replace it with saffron as the primary colour of the men's national team's jersey ahead of the FIH Hockey World Cup? The move ha…