The rising consumption of processed and packaged food in India will likely affect health outcomes and policies may be required to regulate the nutritional content of these foods and promote healthier alternatives, a government paper has stressed.According to the paper, titled ‘Changes in India’s Food Consumption and Policy Implications,’ by the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) to the Prime Minister, across regions and consumption classes, “we observe a significant increase in the share of household expenditure on served and packaged processed food”.
This increase was universal across the classes but more pronounced for the country’s top 20 per cent of households and significantly more in urban areas.
“While food processing is a growth sector and a significant creator of jobs, this rising consumption of processed and packaged food will also likely affect health outcomes,” the paper warned.
The Indian food and beverage packaging industry is experiencing substantial growth, with market size projected to increase from $33.73 billion in 2023 to $46.25 billion by 2028, driven by factors like rising consumption.
According to the paper, further research is needed to understand the nutritional implications of the growing consumption of packaged processed foods and policies may be required to regulate the nutritional content of these foods and promote healthier alternatives.
The paper also analysed the relationship between nutritional intake and dietary diversity on the prevalence of Anaemia.