Union MoS for Health & Family Welfare Shri Prataprao Jadhav inaugurates FSSAI’s National Stakeholder Consultation on Sustainable Packaging

Newdelhi:17/4/25:Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav, inaugurated a National Stakeholder Consultation on “Sustainable Packaging for Food Business: Emerging Global Trends and Regulatory Framework” organized by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) at Mumbai on 16^th April 2025.

In his address, Shri Jadhav highlighted the growing importance of the sustainable packaging of food items. He announced that the guidelines for the use of rPET in packaging have been prepared by FSSAI after extensive consultations with all stakeholders and in line with the best global practices. He also mentioned that a logo has been developed for easy identification and to benefit consumers of food products.

Addressing the gathering, Shri Jadhav stated that “shifting towards sustainable methods of packaging is the need of the hour.” He stressed that the usage of plastic is a growing concern globally, as it stays undecomposed in the environment for years, having detrimental consequences. “What we need today is a shift towards alternatives that are sustainable, recyclable, and biodegradable”, he further stated.

Hailing India’s age-old traditional methods, Shri Jadhav also emphasized the need to connect the ancient ecological practices to modern techniques to ensure sustainability, stating that “India has the potential to lead the world in this direction.”

He also appreciated the efforts of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and FSSAI for providing an important platform in the form of National Stakeholders Consultation to deliberate upon crucial issues that affect the health and wellbeing of the country.

The Minister of State also held an informal open consultation session with stakeholders, providing them an opportunity to share their challenges and discuss future avenues for improvement and growth. The consultation brought together over 1500 stakeholders representing food businesses, packaging industries, recycling associations, regulatory bodies, environmental organizations, consumer groups, farmer groups, government departments to deliberate on the future of sustainable food packaging in India.