India weighs junk food sales curbs near schools

India is considering rules to restrict the sale of foods high in fat, salt and sugar near schools, a proposal aimed at discouraging unhealthy eating habits among children. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has not set an implementation date, and the rules remain under review, with public feedback invited until October 6. The proposed restrictions could affect shops, restaurants and food stalls near the country’s roughly 1.5 million schools. FSSAI chief executive Rajit Punhani told Reuters the goal is to discourage children from developing unhealthy habits early. He said businesses could continue selling products that do not meet the high-fat, salt and sugar thresholds, and that the rules are intended to encourage companies to reformulate products. In August, FSSAI published thresholds for fat, salt and sugar content that would determine which products could face restrictions on sales near and inside schools. The proposal was first raised in 2020, but its final scope and timing remain unsettled. The supplied reporting does not specify how a federal rule would distinguish sales to students from sales to other customers in nearby shops.