Parle Backs FSSAI’s Stricter Food Labelling Rules

Parle Products has welcomed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) move to tighten food labelling requirements, saying stronger disclosure standards will improve transparency for consumers without requiring major changes to existing products.

Parle Products Vice President Mayank Shah said consumers are increasingly checking ingredient lists and nutritional information before making purchases. He said food companies should ensure that product claims are accurate, transparent and informative.

Shah said Parle has been working to modify the nutritional profile of several products over the past seven to 10 years by reducing sugar, fat and sodium.

The company has also expanded its offerings to include products aligned with changing consumer preferences, including millet-based biscuits, lower-sugar options and Parle-G Oats & Berries.

According to Shah, demand is gradually shifting towards products containing less sugar and more whole grains. He said Parle's product portfolio has been evolving in response to these changing consumption patterns.

On concerns over the nutritional content of biscuits, Shah stressed that moderation is important. He noted that smaller pack sizes, particularly the widely sold ₹5 and ₹10 packs, can also help limit consumption, with such packs often being shared among family members.

Shah also defended Parle-G’s long-running “G Maane Genius” advertising campaign amid questions over whether it suggested that eating the biscuit could make children more intelligent.

He said the campaign was not intended to establish a link between biscuit consumption and intelligence. Instead, it sought to highlight qualities such as kindness, empathy and sharing.

According to Shah, the campaign drew on research conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, which indicated that reduced social interaction had affected children’s social behaviour.

Parle said it continues to review its product portfolio and marketing communication to align with consumer expectations and regulatory requirements, while ensuring that claims made about its products remain clear and credible.