Today, while scrolling through Instagram, I came across a post differentiating the ingredients used in India and Australia for the same product. The Indian one had no health, but the Australian one had a better quality of every ingredient.
What’s happening?
Many international brands introduce their products in India, claiming they are “healthy”, “natural”, and sometimes “sugar-free”. But when the ingredients list is read, it’s the ingredients used that are concerning.
Replacing high-quality oil with palm oil
Increased amount of sugar and chemical preservatives
Use of artificial taste enhancer
Reason behind this
Indian consumers are price sensitive: Quality products usually require export, which increases the product price, but we chose the lower quality products as they are cheaper.
Poor regulatory standards: Indian food regulatory standards are not strict enough, whereas in other countries, food safety is handled very strictly.
Import cost: Usually, the quality products and ingredients need to be shipped or imported, which increases the product cost. So instead of raising product price, companies use cheaper, low-quality ingredients as an alternative.
Health Impact
Diet is one of the most important parts of an individual. Through these low-quality products, we introduced palm oil, sugar, artificial additives, chemicals, etc. into our lives. These, when used regularly, lead to diseases like obesity, diabetes, and cardiac disorders. It is high time to improve our food quality standards, improve the regulation regarding ingredient use, and aware population to go for better and natural food options.
We really need to look at what we are eating, we have to start reacting to the low-quality ingredients being served to us in lower cost. these low cost bad ingredients product can impact our health in the future.
I have compared the same product in India vs Abroad and I can confirm there’s is a difference in quality as well as taste. This difference should serve as an example of how quality should be controlled in India as well.
Indians are heavily price sensitive without any concern for health benefits. Added to it is the lack of regulatory standards. Price before health is reducing the overall health of the nation.
It’s all food quality which matters to the food if quality is low and unhealthy the sales go down and is quality is good and healthy it cost more but will be most buyed in India as food and it’s ingredients quality matters the most
This is applicable in, not just food products. Almost every thing sold here is in double standards. If we compare India’s export items with those sold over here itself are different. Strict laws and awareness about all these adulteration are best ways in which this can be controlled.
The huge difference is seen because of lifestyle and pricing. In India people believe in more quantity less price over quality of food. Also strict regulations regarding food safety are not seen in India as compared to other countries
The difference in quality is noticed in taste is due to difference in currency of both the country . although every good or premium quality apples or any products are directly exported as exporters gain more profit .its all the game of currency differences
Yeah, noticed this too. Same brand, but ingredients feel downgraded in India — more palm oil, sugar, additives. Feels like we’re getting a cheaper version just because price matters more here. Makes you think twice about what you’re eating.
A very relevant point. While regulations matter consumer choices also drive the market. Increasing awareness about reading labels and understanding ingredients is equally important for better health outcomes .
I feel it’s a chain reaction. I have been seeing this famous chocolate brand and a biscuit brand since my childhood selling at Rs 5/- no matter what the inflation rate is. Our people are price sensitive. That’s the the first thing in the chain reaction. If companies want profits considering the psychology of people, inflation rate, export and import costs, they had to change the ingredients and make the taste as it is. I feel the food safety organization need to review the regulations time to time. I want people to be educated regarding health and its maintainance, no matter what the education background is. Strict laws and public health education is the key for wellbeing.
Fifth post: Yes. This is a really true statement. Even when we consider the non-dietary products, such as Hershey’s chocolate, we can find a significant change in the way it tastes with the region it is manufactured. We Indians should look ahead for our healthy future rather than to the price we have to pay otherwise; in the future, hospital bills will take over the money we saved on these.
Yup, that is the thing, we are very price sensitive, we care about money more. Strangely, we all work for a good lifestyle and then get the cheapest, most unhealthy things to eat.
