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Madras HC Rejects FSSAI Plea Against Microplastics Warnings: Consumers Deserve to Know
M
Moneycontrol•02-10-2026, 16:20
Madras HC Rejects FSSAI Plea Against Microplastics Warnings: Consumers Deserve to Know
- •The Madras High Court dismissed FSSAI's plea to withdraw its interim order mandating microplastics warnings on packaged water, sugar, and salt.
- •The court ruled that consumers must be informed about the possible presence of microplastics, even as scientific research on health effects continues.
- •FSSAI and industry associations argued that mandatory warnings were premature due to inconclusive scientific evidence on microplastics' harmful effects.
- •The High Court emphasized that disclosing the possible presence of microplastics is a basic consumer-information measure and does not declare products unsafe.
- •The court rejected arguments about commercial backlash, stating that "sweeping inconvenient facts under the carpet" is unacceptable, and affirmed the need for disclosure based on the presence of microplastics.
Key Questions Answered
The Madras High Court held that disclosing the possible presence of microplastics in packaged items is a basic consumer-information measure and does not declare products unsafe. The bench stated that the arguments seeking to remove the warnings were merely sweeping inconvenient facts under the carpet due to commercial concerns.
The High Court directed that plastic or PET bottles containing drinking water must carry the declaration "This water may contain Micro/Nano Plastics" in bold red letters with a font size of at least 10.
The Supreme Court refused to interfere with the Madras High Court order, with a bench observing that there was nothing wrong with displaying the warning and noting that the public should be made aware.
