Parle Products has thrown its support behind FSSAI stricter food labelling norms, calling the move a win for consumers.

Vice President Mayank Shah said the company sees the tightening of labelling rules as a positive step, one that improves transparency without necessarily forcing companies to redesign their products from scratch. According to him, the bigger shift needed is in how brands communicate, not in what goes into the product itself.

Shah pointed out that shoppers today read labels far more carefully than they used to. More people are checking ingredient lists and nutrition panels before deciding what to buy, which is exactly why he believes companies need to keep their claims accurate and easy to understand.

That said, Parle isn’t starting from zero here. Shah explained that the company has spent the past seven to ten years quietly cutting down sugar, fat and sodium levels across a wide range of its products.

This work has already led to newer additions like millet based biscuits, lower sugar variants, and Parle-G Oats and Berries, all built around what health conscious consumers are now asking for.

On the question of whether biscuits themselves are a health concern, Shah kept his answer simple. “Excesses in anything are not right,” he said, adding that most biscuits in India sell in small Rs 5 and Rs 10 packs that usually get shared among family members, which naturally keeps individual consumption in check.

Shah also addressed criticism around Parle-G’s “G Maane Genius” campaign, which some had questioned for implying the biscuit could make children smarter. He clarified that the campaign was never about intelligence at all.

Instead, it was built around research from the COVID-19 period showing that reduced social interaction had affected children’s behaviour, and the campaign’s real focus is on values like kindness, empathy and sharing.

Going forward, Shah said Parle will keep reviewing both its products and its messaging to stay in step with what regulators expect and what consumers are increasingly demanding.

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