Revant Himatsingka, known as Foodpharmer, has been creating ripples for food and beverage brands for some time now. After a head-on fight with big corporations and combating notices from a few, he has not been deterred from his movement. Instead, Foodpharmer has launched a large-scale initiative called the ‘Label Padhega India.’ This campaign aims to combat deceptive marketing practices by encouraging consumers to read nutritional labels on packaged foods. The goal for Revant is to improve health literacy and promote better-quality food products in India.
The Campaign’s Mission
The Label Padhega India initiative seeks to raise awareness about the contents of everyday packaged foods. By urging consumers to read labels, the campaign aims to hold food companies accountable for their marketing claims and encourage them to provide healthier options. The movement addresses various food-related scandals in India, such as high sugar content in baby formulas and health drinks, the use of palm oil in chips, and misleading claims about the nutritional value of products like noodles.
Social Media Challenge
Central to the campaign is a social media challenge designed to engage the public. Participants are asked to post pictures of food labels on their social media accounts and tag three other individuals to do the same. They can also use the campaign’s anthem, ‘Label Padhega India’ music, available on Instagram’s music library. This challenge is intended to create a ripple effect, encouraging widespread participation and increasing awareness.
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Celebrity Endorsements
The campaign has garnered support from numerous celebrities and influencers, amplifying its reach. Notable figures from all walks of life are promoting the initiative. Some of the popular names include- Archana Puran Singh, Dinesh Karthik, Terence Lewis, Ankur Warikoo, Abhinav Bindra, and Masoom Minawala among others. These endorsements have helped spread the message to a larger audience, driving home the importance of reading food labels.
Impact and Achievements
Revant Himatsingka’s efforts have already led to significant changes. His viral video exposing high sugar content in Bournvita resulted in the company reducing the sugar levels in its product.
Similarly, his spotlight on Lay’s use of palm oil in India led the company to begin replacing it with a healthier alternative. Foodpharmer has also exposed misleading claims by other major brands, such as the high sugar content in baby cereals by Nestlé and the negligible fibre content in Maggi’s atta noodles despite claiming the contrary.
Government and Institutional Support
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has also endorsed the initiative. In its recent dietary guidelines, the ICMR cautioned consumers about misleading health claims on packaged foods and emphasised the importance of reading labels to understand the true contents of these products.
The Label Padhega India initiative is a significant step towards fostering a culture of health consciousness in India. By promoting transparency and accountability in the food industry, Foodpharmer aims to shift India from being the Diabetes Capital of the World to the Health Capital of the World.
