India Court Keeps Micro/Nanoplastics Warning-Label Order for Bottled Water, Sugar and Salt

India’s bold red “may contain micro/nano plastics” warning order for packaged drinking water, sugar, and salt is staying in place. On Monday, September 28, 2026, the Madras High Court dismissed a petition from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) asking the court to review that order, The Hindu reports.

The court’s February 6, 2026 order directed FSSAI to issue a notification requiring drinking water, sugar, and salt sold in plastic bottles and packets to carry a warning in bold, red letters: “This water/sugar/salt may contain micro/nano plastics.”

A special Division Bench of Justices N. Sathish Kumar and D. Bharatha Chakravarthy dismissed the review application. The judges observed that the court had not concluded that water, sugar, or salt becomes unsafe because of plastic packaging. It had only ordered a warning on the labels so that consumers could make an informed decision before consumption.

What FSSAI argued

In its review application, FSSAI said research on the harmful effects of micro- and nanoplastics on the human body remains inconclusive and at a nascent stage, and that requiring the warnings could cause “public panic” and disruption in the supply chain. It said the report the court relied on for that direction was a review of papers by scholars worldwide on micro/nanoplastics as an emerging contaminant, and that the review does not conclusively establish harmful effects on the human body.

FSSAI also said that no country had so far come up with regulations on micro- and nanoplastics, that the labelling requirement would be impractical and burdensome for food businesses, and that if similar directions were given for every other contaminant, food labels could need many more warnings. The authority said it had written to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) twice asking for research on the issue without a response, and agreed to fund studies by ICMR and by IIT-Madras, the latter requested by the Tamil Nadu government.

How the case got here

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and FSSAI first challenged the High Court’s direction in the Supreme Court. On May 18, 2026, the Supreme Court dismissed that special leave petition as withdrawn, which led to the review petition in Madras. The PET Packaging Association for Clean Environment (PACE) also asked the High Court to recall the February order on similar grounds, and the Federation of All India Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers Association filed a petition saying the order was passed without giving it a hearing.

What it means for readers

This ruling is about information on the package, not a verdict on the science. The court said it had not found these products unsafe, and FSSAI itself told the court that evidence on human-health effects is still inconclusive. The order’s stated purpose is a plain-language disclosure on the package, so shoppers can make an informed decision for themselves.

A note on scope: this post summarises court reporting. It is not medical advice or a health-risk finding, and WaterVO is not a party to the proceedings. The featured image is a generic illustration, not an official FSSAI label or any brand’s packaging.

Sources

• Mohamed Imranullah S., “Madras High Court refuses to review its order on micro/nano plastics warning labels on bottled water, sugar, and salt,” The Hindu (Sep 28, 2026). Read the coverage

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