Indian consumers are paying closer attention to what goes into their food.

Food brands have traditionally competed on taste, price, packaging and, above all, advertising. But as consumers become more conscious about what they eat – the basis of competition is changing.

The conversation is shifting to ingredients, nutrition and sourcing, with younger shoppers increasingly looking for information that can be verified. Food traceability is therefore moving beyond a supply-chain function to become a competitive battleground.

Indian consumers are paying closer attention to what goes into their food. Reading labels, checking ingredients and researching products online are becoming more routine. PwC’s Voice of the Consumer 2025 found that 84 per cent of Indian consumers consider food safety a top priority, with over three-quarters concerned about pesticide use, while 58 per cent concerned about food traceability.

This changes the brand-consumer equation. A claim on a pack may attract attention, but consumers increasingly want evidence behind it.

For younger consumers, verification is already part of everyday transactions. They scan QR codes, check ratings before ordering, compare information online and track deliveries in real time. The scanning behaviour already exists. What is often missing is meaningful, verifiable information behind the code on food packaging.

Claims such as “natural”, “pure”, “farm fresh” have become ubiquitous. Specific information such as the farm or region of origin, harvest date, batch details or test reports, however, can give consumers something tangible to verify.

Traceability is also moving from a voluntary initiative towards a regulatory expectation. In the US, the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Rule 204 introduces additional traceability requirements for certain higher-risk foods. In Europe, digital product passport requirements are beginning to take effect from 2026.

GS1’s Sunrise 2027 initiative is pushing retail towards 2D codes capable of carrying richer product information, including batch-level data and recall data.

India, too, is tightening information available to consumers through food e-commerce, with FSSAI’s labelling framework requiring e-commerce food businesses to obtain specified information from food business operators and display it where applicable.

Traceability – that differentiates a brand today – could become a compliance requirement tomorrow.

The rise of quick commerce makes pack-level trust even more important. Consumers often make purchase decisions within seconds on a screen, without physically examining the product. Trust therefore has to travel with the brand and the pack.

For platforms, traceability can also reduce uncertainty around suppliers. Lot-level records can help demonstrate product safety and provenance, while enabling more precise action when quality or safety issues arise.

For FMCG brands, the value extends beyond consumer trust. PwC found that 73 per cent of Indian consumers are willing to pay more for food that supports the health of the land – suggesting verifiable sourcing can support premium pricing.

Traceability is also harder to replicate than marketing claims as it requires farm-level data capture, lot integrity, testing infrastructure and operational discipline. It can improve sourcing and supplier management, enable targeted recalls, support market access as international retailers and institutional buyers increasingly demand greater supply-chain visibility. This also helps limit counterfeit or grey-market products.

Gold jewellery offers a useful precedent. When Tanishq introduced purity-testing machines in its stores in the 1990s, a significant share of pieces tested were below their claimed purity. The lesson is relevant to food too as in categories where quality is difficult to assess, making it verifiable can become a powerful source of differentiation.

In short, food is moving from a claims-led to a proof-led market. As consumers demand transparency and regulation tightens, traceability can become a source of pricing power, trust and differentiation.

The next competitive advantage in FMCG may not be on the pack, but behind the QR code.

The author is Founder and CEO of Superplum

Published on September 20, 2026