The country’s apex food regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), has proposed bigger and more prominent health warnings on pan masala packets, News18.com has learnt.
In a proposal sent to the ministry of health and family welfare, the regulator has proposed health warnings that would cover 50% of the front of the packets.
It is mandatory to publish warnings occupying 85% of a cigarette packet, but there are no such standards for pan masala wrappings.
“The proposal is that the warning — ‘Chewing of pan masala is injurious to health’ — should cover half of the front of the packet. The move is requested under the labelling and display regulations, 2020, of FSSAI,” a government official privy to the development told News18.com.
The draft notification has been sent to the ministry for amendment. News18.com has seen the copy of the notification. Once approved by the ministry, the proposal will be open for public comments.
“One will find it very difficult to read warnings on these packets as they are written in the smallest possible font. There is no point in putting a warning in such a case. Also, manufacturers place warnings in shady corners of the packets — where it is impossible for consumers to find them and read,” official said. “It is concerning because the market of this product (pan masala) is booming in India.”
A growing market
According to a report by research firm Expert Market Research, the Indian pan masala market reached a value of Rs 57,428 crores in 2020 and is further expected to reach nearly Rs 107,918 crores by 2026.
The report says the strong growth can be attributed to a number of factors, including the popularity of the product, rising disposable incomes, convenient packaging, easy availability and competitive marketing.
The majority of the Indian pan masala market is highly unorganised, according to the report. The top players include DS GROUP, Manikchand Group, Godfrey Phillips India Ltd, Kothari Product Limited and Dharampal Premchand Limited, among others.
Rajnigandha represented the largest manufacturer of pan masala, accounting for the majority of the market share followed by RMD, Pan Vilas, Pan Parag and others.
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