Engagement with food labels falls to 31% in online shopping

With the rapid expansion of India’s food ecosystem—driven by digitalization and a surge in packaged food consumption—a crucial gap has come to light: consumers are still not engaging with food labels as actively or effectively as needed. This emerged as a central insight from Food Safety Works’ annual online survey, presented at the India Food Safety Conclave 2025 in Bengaluru.

As India’s food ecosystem rapidly expands with growing digitalization and rising packaged food consumption, a critical disconnect remains—consumers are not engaging with food labels as much or as effectively as they should. This was the key takeaway from Food Safety Works’ annual online survey, unveiled during the India Food Safety Conclave 2025 in Bengaluru.

The survey, conducted by Food Safety Works to understand consumer interaction with food labels, offers deep insights into how people read labels, what information they retain, what they overlook, and how it all affects their purchasing decisions.

“As the food ecosystem grows more complex, such insights are essential to bridge the gap between regulatory intention and consumer behaviour,” said Surabhi Soral, Head of Regulatory and Compliance at Food Safety Works, during her presentation of the detailed 60-page report.

Despite surveying an audience that is largely urban and well-educated, the report reveals a persistent gap between awareness and action. One of the most telling insights is the inconsistency in consumer engagement across retail channels. While 60% of consumers say they always check labels in physical stores, this number significantly drops when shopping online. As digital food purchases increase, the visibility and accessibility of food label information in e-commerce platforms are not keeping pace.

“This inconsistency reflects a growing concern. Many consumers report that labels are hard to read or too technical, which leads to disengagement—even when the intention to read is there,” noted Soral. The challenge, she added, is not just about displaying information but making it user-friendly and contextually meaningful.

When it comes to specific label elements, the survey found that while 89% of consumers routinely check expiry dates—a positive sign of basic food safety awareness—only 37.3% look at nutrition facts, and a mere 27% check for allergen warnings. This suggests that while consumers care about freshness, they are still not fully utilizing the broader spectrum of label information intended to help them make healthier and safer choices.

QR codes, widely promoted as a solution for deeper engagement and traceability, also remain underutilized. Only 31.7% of respondents reported ever scanning them, despite high smartphone penetration. This indicates a missed opportunity to extend food label utility beyond packaging, into digital formats that could offer richer, more interactive information.

On a more positive note, awareness of health-related claims and logos—such as the FSSAI mark—is improving. Over 54% of respondents said they could recognize such logos, with stronger awareness among younger and more educated consumers. However, the survey also raised a crucial question: Do consumers truly understand the implications of claims like “high protein” or “low sugar” for their health?

“There’s a difference between recognition and comprehension. Consumers may identify a claim but may not necessarily understand how it applies to their dietary needs,” explained Soral.

Another troubling area highlighted in the report is the lack of consumer empowerment. A staggering 92% of respondents were unaware that they can file food safety complaints directly with FSSAI. Even among those who encountered safety concerns, few actually used the customer care numbers provided on the packaging.

“This points to a systemic communication gap between manufacturers, regulators, and consumers,” said Soral. “We need to do more to make feedback mechanisms accessible and visible.”

Perhaps most concerning is the trend line when compared to last year’s findings. In 2023, 53.6% of consumers said they always checked labels. In 2024, that figure dropped to 47.6%, even though the number of people buying packaged food weekly has increased. This paradox—greater dependence on packaged foods, but falling engagement with labels—highlights the urgency of the issue.

The report concludes that as the packaged food sector grows, so must consumer education, digital labelling innovations, and stronger communication between all stakeholders. Otherwise, regulatory advancements will continue to fall short of driving real behavioural change.