The Label Trap

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A parent stands in a supermarket, holding a packet of biscuits that says “zero sugar” and “high fibre.” The packet looks attractive and trustworthy. The child beside the parent is already excited by the colourful cover. It feels like a smart and healthy choice. But what is written in small letters on the back may tell a very different story.

This pattern is increasingly becoming a regular feature in many Indian homes today. Packaged-foods, once eaten only occasionally, have now become part of daily life. Busy schedules and modern lifestyles have made convenience more important than caution. Food labels, which are supposed to guide consumers honestly, often end up influencing and confusing them instead.

Hidden Truths

At first sight, food labels look informative. They carry ingredient lists, nutrition charts, and bold claims. But many consumers do not know how to read them properly.

Ingredients are always listed according to quantity. This means the first few ingredients form the biggest part of the product. In many biscuits and instant noodles, refined flour, sugar, and palm oil appear at the top. Yet sugar is often hidden under different names such as maltose, dextrose, glucose syrup, or corn syrup. An ordinary buyer may not realise that all of them mean added sugar.

Serving sizes can also be misleading. A packet may show fewer calories, but only for a very small portion that most people never actually eat. A person may finish the entire packet without realising that the calorie count must be multiplied several times. Words like “multigrain,” “lite,” “natural,” or “baked not fried” create a healthy image, even when the product contains high amounts of salt, sugar, or unhealthy fats. Sometimes, what is highlighted on the front hides what should really worry consumers.

The health impact of such foods is becoming increasingly visible. Doctors are seeing a rise in obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and Cardiovascular Disease among both adults and children. Diets filled with ultra-processed foods slowly damage health over time. High salt, excess sugar, unhealthy fats, and refined carbohydrates place pressure on the body day after day.

Clever Marketing

Food packaging today is a powerful marketing tool. Companies spend huge amounts of money studying consumer behaviour, especially that of children.

Bright colours, cartoon characters, free gifts, and cheerful slogans are carefully designed to attract young minds. Repeated advertisements on television, mobile phones, and social media create familiarity. Celebrities also play a major role. When famous actors or sports personalities promote snacks or sugary drinks, consumers often believe the products are safe and healthy. Their popularity creates emotional trust, even when the nutritional value is poor.

Parents, too, face pressure. In homes where both parents are working, packaged foods offer convenience and save time. School culture and peer influence also shape eating habits. A child carrying homemade snacks may sometimes feel left out among friends carrying branded packaged foods.

As a financial side to this issue, many products promoted as “healthy” are sold at higher prices. Consumers often pay extra for attractive packaging and clever advertising rather than genuine nutrition.

India already has food safety rules through the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. But many gaps still remain. Some claims may be technically correct yet still misleading. For example, a packet may proudly say “zero cholesterol” even though plant-based foods naturally contain no cholesterol at all. Such statements create a false sense of healthiness.

This is why consumer awareness is extremely important. Reading labels carefully is no longer optional, but necessary.

Simple habits can help. Consumers should check the first three ingredients before buying any packaged food. Short ingredient lists with familiar names are usually safer. People should also avoid getting carried away by large claims printed boldly on the front of the pack. Understanding serving sizes is equally important.

Fresh and homemade foods may not have glossy advertisements, but they usually provide better nutrition and balance.

At the same time, responsibility should not fall only on consumers. Companies, advertisers, endorsers, celebrities, regulators, schools, and even courts have a role to play in protecting public health. Misleading claims that affect children and families deserve stricter scrutiny and accountability.

The issue is not about avoiding all packaged foods completely. It is about becoming more aware of what we eat. Today’s consumer is not always careless, but often overwhelmed by attractive packaging and confusing information.

Whenever a brightly packaged product claims “healthy goodness,” taking a moment to read the fine print could make all the difference.

(The writer is a retired banker and author. Views personal.)