Context

On July 24, 2025, India and the United Kingdom signed a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA), hailed for its potential to boost bilateral trade and strategic ties.
However, the agreement has also raised serious public health concerns in India—primarily linked to the increased influx of high fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS) foods, potentially worsening India’s growing non-communicable disease burden.

This calls for a critical analysis of the FTA’s broader health implications, drawing lessons from international precedents and underscoring the need for strong policy action.

Economic Opportunities of the India-UK FTA

The FTA is expected to:

• Remove tariffs, reducing consumer costs.
• Boost foreign investment and create jobs.
• Strengthen economic integration through expanded market access for goods and services.

India’s gains include access to U.K. markets, enhanced imports of U.K. goods, and strategic cooperation in trade and innovation.

Public Health Risks: The Mexican Experience Post-NAFTA

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) offers a cautionary tale:

• After NAFTA, Mexico saw a surge in the import and consumption of ultra-processed and sugary foods.
• This led to a sharp rise in obesity, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses.
• Mexico had to introduce corrective policies—a soda tax and mandatory warning labels—but only after severe public health impacts.

India, with weaker regulatory safeguards than Mexico, may face even greater risks unless preventive steps are taken immediately.

Regulatory Comparison: U.K. vs. India

United Kingdom

• Advertising Controls:
• Ban on HFSS food ads targeting children on TV before 9 p.m.
• From October 1, 2025, complete ban on online paid advertisements of HFSS products.
• Nutrition Labelling:
• Traffic light labelling system helps consumers quickly understand fat, sugar, and salt content.

India

• Weak Advertising Regulations:
• No enforceable ban on junk food advertisements.
• Heavy reliance on voluntary codes by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI).
• Celebrity endorsements and cartoon branding remain largely unregulated.
• Inadequate Labelling Systems:
• Mandatory front-of-pack labelling is still pending.
• Warning labels—proven globally to be effective—have been delayed in favour of a star-rating system, heavily influenced by industry lobbying.

Public Health Consequences in India

Rising Lifestyle Diseases

• Between 2011 and 2021, sales of HFSS and ultra-processed foods in India grew at a CAGR of 13.3%.
• Resulting spike in childhood obesity, diabetes, and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
• Poor regulations on food marketing and labelling aggravate these trends.

Commercial Determinants of Health

• FTAs can function as drivers of unhealthy consumption, especially when commercial interests override public health.
• Without proper checks, FTAs may promote the unchecked spread of harmful dietary patterns—turning trade policy into a public health threat.

Way Forward: Policy Recommendations

1. Enforce Comprehensive Advertising Bans
• Legally restrict the marketing of HFSS foods to children, in line with national dietary recommendations.
2. Implement Mandatory Warning Labels
• Adopt clear front-of-pack warnings for unhealthy foods, instead of industry-friendly alternatives like the star system.
3. Promote Healthy School Environments
• Prohibit sales of junk food and sugary drinks in school and college canteens.
• Set up HFSS health boards within educational institutions to promote healthy eating.
4. Include Public Health Experts in Trade Talks
• Ensure that health professionals are involved in trade negotiations, so public health is not sidelined by economic interests.

Conclusion

As India celebrates the economic promise of its trade agreements, it must also confront their hidden health costs.

The India-U.K. FTA presents a crucial opportunity to strengthen domestic health regulations before the damage is done.

India must act now—implementing bold, preventive policies to ensure that economic prosperity does not come at the expense of public health, avoiding a repeat of Mexico’s costly mistakes.