Pan masala makers get FSSAI relief again
Food safety authority extends deadline to Apr 30, 2024, for making health caution warning a mandatory for gutka, pan masala manufacturers
Caution Alert
- It’s third time extension
- The first one began on May 1 for 3 months
- Warning statement must cover 50% of front-of-pack of the label
New Delhi: Even as the central government adopts a tough stance vis-à-vis pan masala advertisements, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) recently decided to extend the compliance timeline for the health warning statement till April 30, 2024. The extension has been given in response to representations made by the pan masala makers, official sources told Bizz Buzz.
The FSSAI’s extension comes against the backdrop of the central government issuing notices to top film stars Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan, and Ajay Devgn regarding their gutka company advertisements. On Friday, the government’s counsel informed the Supreme Court about the issuance of notices.
The apex court is hearing a petition against the award-winning stars and other dignitaries endorsing gutka companies.
Earlier, industry representatives had urged the food authority for a third extension so that the manufacturers could utilize the packaging inventory.
The Food Safety and Standards (Labeling and Display) Second Amendment Regulations, 2022, stipulates that “the warning statement must cover 50 per cent of front-of-pack of the label.”
This is the third extension of the compliance timeline. The first one began on May 1 for three months.
Schedule II of the Food Safety and Standards (Labeling and Display) Second Amendment Regulations, 2022, stipulates that the warning should be “chewing of pan masala is injurious to health.” It further says, “this warning statement should be clearly legible/audible in advertisements related to Pan Masala.”
It may be mentioned here that there has been a lot of resistance to gutka and pan masala. The administration of the Jagannath Temple in Puri in Orissa has completely prohibited the use of such tobacco-related items as paan and gutka within the premises from January 1, 2024.
The Madras High Court had earlier banned the sale of gutka and pan masala in Tamil Nadu from January this year, citing health concerns. The Supreme Court, however, overturned the ban.
