In an era where food packaging often hides more than it reveals, one man decided to flip the whole scenario. Meet Revant Himatsingka, popularly known as Food Pharmer, who started the “Label Padhega India” movement with a clear mission: to make every Indian read food labels before making a purchase. It all began as a few Instagram reels exposing misleading packaging soon snowballed into a nationwide awareness campaign.
Most of us trust these front-label declarations without flipping the packet to read what actually goes into the product. But that’s exactly what the Label Padhega India movement asks us to do, flip the pack and read the label. This movement is all about food literacy, empowering consumers to look beyond the glossy front and uncover what’s actually inside their food. It’s about recognizing that terms like "100% juice", "multigrain", or "zero fat" often mask hidden high sugar content, harmful preservatives, or empty calories.
A Movement Born from Misinformation:
Revant Himatsingka didn’t launch this campaign as a celebrity chef or a dietitian. He was a concerned citizen who began noticing the gap between what brands claimed and what their products actually delivered. While most of us were drawn to snacks labeled “multigrain,” “low fat,” or “zero sugar,” Revant flipped the packaging to reveal sky-high sugar levels, hydrogenated oils, and ingredients we could barely pronounce.
His content began going viral because it spoke to something we all instinctively felt: that we were being misled. His way of communicating wasn’t preachy. It was funny, clever, and most importantly, honest. Through his videos, he educated millions of Indians about hidden sugars, misleading ingredient lists, and how companies use marketing buzzwords to confuse consumers.
The Label Padhega India campaign quickly turned into a movement that sought to revolutionize the way India looked at food, not just through the lens of price and taste, but through the lens of transparency, health, and ethics.
Why Reading Labels Matters More Than Ever:
Today, India is facing a silent epidemic of lifestyle diseases. Diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and heart disease are no longer illnesses that strike only the elderly. Children are consuming alarming amounts of sugar and salt through processed foods disguised as “healthy.” The average Indian consumes significantly more sodium and sugar than recommended, not because they want to, but because they don’t know what they’re eating.
Labels tell us what advertising doesn’t. They show us the true story behind the front cover. While a product might claim to be “whole grain,” the ingredients list might reveal that it contains more maida than anything else. A juice box that says “no added sugar” might actually be loaded with fruit concentrates and hidden sweeteners. And a snack that boasts “baked, not fried” might still be full of palm oil and artificial flavors.
By simply flipping the packet and reading the label, we become empowered consumers. We start to make choices that serve our bodies rather than corporate interests. And when enough people do this, it creates a ripple effect, forcing companies to clean up their ingredients and be more honest in their branding.
Understanding the Language of Labels:
Revant’s videos often focus on decoding what’s written in fine print. For the average consumer, the language of labels can seem confusing or deliberately obscure. But with a little attention, it becomes easier to navigate.
The ingredients list is always arranged in descending order by weight. This means the first three ingredients are what make up most of the product. If sugar, refined flour, or hydrogenated oil are at the top, it’s a red flag, even if the front label says “high fiber” or “multigrain.” Some brands even use multiple types of sugar under different names like dextrose, maltodextrin, or corn syrup to hide just how sweetened the product really is.
Nutritional charts are often misleading by presenting data "per serving," while a single pack may contain two or three servings. Consumers unknowingly end up eating twice or thrice the listed sugar, salt, or fat amounts. Revant often explains how this technique manipulates perception and why we must check whether the values are based on 100g or per serving.
Even more subtle are the health claims made using logos and stamps. Many people assume that products labeled “organic” or “natural” are automatically healthy. But unless the product is certified by a recognized body, these claims hold no legal weight. By developing a basic understanding of how to read and interpret labels, even ordinary consumers can make significantly better food choices.
How to Start Reading Labels — Without Feeling Overwhelmed
You don’t have to be a nutritionist or a scientist to read a label. Here’s how you can start today:
- Start small: Pick one item from your kitchen, like a packet of chips, a juice box, a breakfast cereal, and read the back. Or simply google the unknown ingredients.
- The 3-ingredient rule: If the first three ingredients include sugar, refined flour (maida), or palm oil, think twice.
- Beware of fancy names: Sugar hides under names like high-fructose corn syrup, maltodextrin, sucrose, dextrose, and fructose. MSG may appear as a hydrolyzed protein or flavor enhancer 621.
- Watch the portion size trap: If a small packet claims low sugar, check if the values are per serving. Often, one pack = 3 servings, and you eat it all.
- Use apps: Apps like FoodSwitch offer barcode scanning and simplified analysis of ingredients.
The Goal of Label Padhega India:
Launched as a grassroots initiative, Label Padhega India is more than just a campaign, it’s a movement to make Indian consumers more informed. The aim isn’t to create fear, but awareness. When people know what’s in the products they buy, they can make better choices for their health, their families, and the planet.
The movement teaches people how to read and understand product labels, so they aren’t misled by marketing or complicated ingredient names. It also highlights harmful additives often hidden behind unfamiliar terms. By spreading this knowledge, the campaign encourages more ethical and sustainable consumption.
Another key goal is to influence brands to be more transparent. When companies see that consumers are paying attention, they’re pressured to reduce sugar, cut harmful ingredients, and be more honest in their marketing. An aware population leads to a cleaner, healthier market, and that’s exactly what Label Padhega India hopes to achieve.
The Fanta Hypocrisy: A Case Study in Double Standards
If you want a clear example of why Label Padhega India matters, look no further than the difference between the Fanta you find in Indian stores and the one sold in Europe. On the surface, the orange soda may look identical, same branding, same fizz, same international legacy. But beneath the label, the differences are startling and infuriating.
Let’s start with sugar. A 300 ml can of Fanta in Europe contains about three teaspoons of added sugar. In contrast, the same quantity of Fanta sold in India contains a whopping ten teaspoons of added sugar, more than three times as much. That’s not just a difference in taste. It’s a difference with real health consequences, contributing to India's rising rates of childhood obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic disorders.
It doesn’t stop there. European Fanta contains no artificial colours. But Indian Fanta includes Colour 110, also known as Sunset Yellow FCF. This artificial dye has been linked to multiple health concerns, including DNA damage, hyperactivity in children (commonly referred to as ADHD), and potential reproductive issues when consumed in large amounts. It is restricted or banned in several countries, yet here in India, it’s casually included in a beverage often consumed by children.
The calorie count tells the rest of the story. Indian Fanta contains nearly three times the calories of its European counterpart, and for what? The illusion of a “treat” that is cheaper to manufacture but costlier to health? This major contrast in formulation raises a disturbing question: Why do multinational corporations think Indian consumers deserve less?
This isn’t an isolated case. Many global food and beverage companies create two versions of the same product, a cleaner, more responsible one for Western markets and a cheaper, more harmful version for India and other developing countries. Fewer safety regulations and weaker consumer awareness in India make it easier for companies to get away with inferior, unhealthy products, all while selling them under the same trusted logos.
This double standard is exactly what the Label Padhega India movement seeks to dismantle. By informing people of such blatant disparities, the campaign creates not only awareness but outrage, and from outrage comes demand. A demand for better regulation and corporate accountability, and for a system that doesn’t view Indian lives as less valuable than European ones.
Pushing Brands to Be More Honest:
Perhaps the most powerful impact of the Label Padhega India movement is the pressure it has put on brands. Social media has become a powerful tool for consumer activism. When a product is called out publicly for misleading packaging, brands are forced to respond. Some issue clarifications, while others quietly update their labels. This form of people-powered regulation is proving more effective than legal threats or government warnings. It is fast, visible, and driven by facts.
The goal of Label Padhega India is not to scare or shame consumers — it is to awaken them. This movement invites us to take back control of what we eat, one label at a time. It is not just about food; it’s about the kind of future we are creating for ourselves and for our children.
Call to Action: How You Can Join the Movement
The “Label Padhega India” movement thrives when people take it personally. Here’s what you can do:
- Make label reading a family habit. Teach children and elders at home.
- Host a ‘Label Day’ in your school, college, office, or community.
- Share what you learn on social media using the hashtag #LabelPadhegaIndia.
- Tag brands and ask questions about ingredients, because companies are watching, and public pressure works.
- Support transparent businesses. Reward brands that are honest and clean.
A Label a Day Keeps Regret Away
When we read labels, we become more than consumers, we become active participants in our own well-being. We stop falling for gimmicks and start demanding honesty. We support companies that care and challenge those that don’t. We begin to understand that change doesn't start in parliament or courtrooms, but in our kitchens, tiffin boxes, and grocery bags.
In a country of 1.4 billion people, if even a fraction begins to read labels, it could reshape the entire food industry. Companies will be forced to innovate responsibly. Schools will raise healthier children. Families will live longer, better lives.
So the next time you pick up a product and add it to your cart, pause for a moment, flip the pack, and read the label.