Same Fanta, Different Sugar Levels: What Indian Consumers Need To Know
UK's sugary drinks tax encourages manufacturers to reduce sugar levels.
Packaged food and beverage products sold in India are facing renewed scrutiny over differences in their formulations compared with products available in other countries. The debate has gained attention after a report highlighted that Fanta sold in the UK contains significantly less sugar than the version available in India. The issue has also brought renewed focus to food labelling requirements and the need for consumers to have clear information about the nutritional content of packaged products.
Food safety educator Urvashi Agarwal attributed part of the difference between the UK and Indian versions of soft drinks to differences in taxation and regulation. Speaking to NDTV Profit, she explained that the UK's Soft Drinks Industry Levy creates a financial incentive for manufacturers to reduce the amount of sugar in beverages. Under the system, drinks containing higher levels of sugar can attract a higher tax, encouraging manufacturers to reformulate products to reduce their sugar content.
A Reuters report highlighted the difference in Fanta formulations, noting that a can sold in the UK contains 63 calories, while the version sold in India has substantially more sugar. The report also pointed to differences in the use and disclosure of certain ingredients. In Europe, products containing some artificial colours are subject to specific labelling requirements, including prominent warnings in applicable cases, while information about such ingredients can appear in smaller print on products sold in India.
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Similar differences have been reported in other packaged food products. Some Maggi variants sold in Britain use sunflower oil, while variants available in India are made with palm oil, according to the report. The issue has raised broader questions about whether multinational food companies should follow the same formulation and labelling standards across markets, particularly when products with similar branding have different nutritional profiles.
The debate comes amid growing scrutiny of India's front-of-pack food labelling regulations. The Supreme Court recently criticised the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India over the issue of warning labels for packaged foods containing high levels of sugar, salt and saturated fats. Indian regulators have proposed prominent nutritional warnings and colour-coded systems since 2017, but manufacturers are currently required to provide basic nutritional and ingredient information primarily on the back of packaging.
The wider issue also involves affordability and access to healthier food choices. Agarwal noted that while companies are introducing products with different ingredients and cleaner labels, a significant section of the population may not be able to afford such alternatives. Industry estimates cited by Reuters indicate that a large proportion of India's packaged food and beverage market could fall into the high-fat, high-sugar and high-salt category, keeping pressure on regulators to strengthen nutritional transparency and help consumers make informed choices.
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