Food Safety Department mandates consumer feedback apps for sweet shops in Prayagraj to enhance transparency

PRAYAGRAJ: Officials of the Food Safety Department have made consumer satisfaction feedback apps compulsory for sweet shop owners, aiming to enhance transparency and accountability in the food industry, benefiting consumers in Sangam city.Around 100 prominent sweet shop owners in the city have been asked to promote the app among consumers as the move is part of a broader effort by food safety authorities to leverage technology for better regulation and grievance redressal.With its implementation, the department intends to ensure food businesses prioritise consumer feedback and address any issues related to food safety and hygiene promptly.A senior official of the Food Safety Department told TOI that the department has asked traders associated with the Prayagraj Sweets & Namkeen Welfare Association to promote the consumer satisfaction feedback app ahead of the festival.

He added that traders associated with the organisation are briefed about the customer satisfaction feedback that has been made mandatory to be displayed at the shop. Besides, displaying the standards of the Oil Board (which food contains how much oil) and the Sugar Board (which food contains how much sugar) has also been made mandatory at the shops. Shopkeepers were also motivated to keep the amount of food colour at a low level in sweets and namkeen bakery products.

Moreover, the department has also initiated an awareness campaign against obesity.Ankit Gupta, owner of a prominent sweet shop, told TOI that they are promoting consumer satisfaction feedback on the Food Safety Connect app among consumers and have installed banners and posters at their installations. He added that the majority of traders associated with the Prayagraj Sweet & Namkeen Welfare Association are installing details of the app at their respective shops.Gupta, meanwhile, said they are also taking part in creating awareness against obesity, claiming that obesity has undoubtedly become a major public health challenge, affecting people across all age groups and increasing the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. Driven by unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, and environmental factors, obesity is rising at an alarming rate among citizens of all age groups, impacting both urban and rural populations.

The shift towards processed foods, reduced physical activity, and lifestyle changes has further contributed to the crisis.Pointedly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, through his Mann Ki Baat programme, also emphasised the need to create awareness and collective action to reduce obesity, particularly through lower edible oil consumption. This call for collective action highlights the importance of tackling obesity at both individual and community levels, reinforcing the need for a fitter and healthier India.The union govt is promoting healthier lifestyles, better nutrition, and physical activity through various schemes and programmes aiming to encourage long-term behavioural change, ensuring a healthier future for all.