&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Maharashtra bans junk food sales near schools, mandates FSSAI licences for canteens")
Mumbai:In a sweeping move to promote healthier eating habits among children, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a series of measures that prohibit the sale, advertisement and free distribution of junk food within a 50-metre radius of schoolsacross the state.
The new directive targets foods classified as High in Fat, Sugar and Salt (HFSS), including packaged chips, sugary drinks, carbonated beverages, chocolates, confectionery, instant snacks and other ultra-processed food products that are widely consumed by schoolchildren.
Announcing the order, Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhesaid the initiative is aimed at creating a healthier food environment around schools and addressing the growing burden of childhood obesity, diabetes and other lifestyle-related diseases linked to unhealthy diets.
What's new?
Under the revised guidelines:
- No HFSS food or beveragescan be sold within 50 metresof any school.
- Vendors are barred from advertising or promoting junk foodnear school premises.
- Companies and retailers cannot distribute free samplesor promotional food products around schools.
- Every school canteen must obtain a valid FSSAI licence or registration, ensuring compliance with food safety regulations.
- Schools have been directed to encourage healthier food choices, including fresh fruits, milk, buttermilk, sprouts, traditional Indian snacks and balanced meals in place of processed food.
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The FDA has also instructed schools to strengthen nutrition awareness among students and parents while discouraging the consumption of ultra-processed foods on campus.
Enforcement and penalties
The Maharashtra FDA said it will conduct regular inspectionsof schools, canteens and food vendors operating nearby to ensure compliance with the new norms. Violators could face action under the Food Safety and Standards Act, including penalties, suspension or cancellation of food licences, depending on the nature of the violation.
Part of a wider food safety campaign
The junk food restrictions are part of Maharashtra's broader push to improve food safety standards across educational institutions.
The FDA has also announced plans to:
- Train teachers and school authorities on food safety practices.
- Increase monitoring of food sold inside and around schools.
- Crack down on the sale of tobacco and other prohibited products near educational institutions.
- Tighten surveillance of packaged foods and beverages marketed to children.
- Promote awareness about healthy eating habits from an early age.
The latest order follows a series of food safety enforcement drives carried out by the Maharashtra FDA in recent months, including action against food adulteration, misleading food labels and unsafe food products.
Why it matters
According to health experts, children are consuming increasing quantities of foods high in fat, sugar and salt, contributing to rising rates of obesity, diabetes, hypertension and other non-communicable diseases.
By restricting the availability and marketing of junk food around schools while improving the quality of food served inside campuses, the Maharashtra government hopes to encourage healthier eating habits among students and reduce long-term health risks.
The initiative also aligns with recommendations from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and public health experts, who have repeatedly called for stricter regulation of junk food in and around schools to protect children's health.
