PEPSICO INDIA PUTS TRANSPARENCY ON THE LABEL

PepsiCo India is introducing updated packaging across Lay’s, Kurkure and Doritos, highlighting “No Artificial Flavours or Colours” to reinforce ingredient transparency. The move, led by Chief Marketing Officer Saakshi Verma Menon, reflects consumer demand for clarity, strengthens trust in the competitive snacks market, and aligns with PepsiCo’s ₹5,700 crore India investment plan.

PepsiCo India is sharpening its focus on transparency with a packaging update across its foods portfolio, ensuring consumers can make clearer choices at the point of purchase. Popular snack brands including Lay’s, Kurkure and Doritos will now prominently display a “No Artificial Flavours or Colours” label, a move designed to meet the growing demand for openness in food communication.  

The change comes at a time when shoppers are increasingly scanning labels to understand what goes into their food, pushing brands to move beyond broad claims and towards visible, verifiable information. PepsiCo has clarified that the packaging update does not alter recipes, taste or quality, but instead makes existing ingredient information more accessible and easier to recognise.  

For the company, the initiative is part of a science-led approach to product design and a broader effort to strengthen consumer trust in a highly competitive snacks market. By bringing ingredient clarity to the forefront, PepsiCo is positioning itself as a leader in transparent communication, a value that is becoming central to consumer expectations in India’s fast-evolving food sector.  

Saakshi Verma Menon, Chief Marketing Officer, PepsiCo India, explained the thinking behind the move: “What we are doing now is bringing our ingredient story to the forefront, making it easier for consumers to recognise and trust what’s already inside the products they love. In many ways, this also reflects a broader shift in how brands are communicating today, where transparency is not just claimed, but made visible and easy to understand, while continuing to build on the trust consumers place in us.”  

The updated packaging also ties into PepsiCo’s wider India strategy, which includes a planned ₹5,700 crore investment by 2030 to expand food manufacturing capacity. This long-term commitment underscores the company’s ambition to deepen its footprint in the Indian market, where snacking habits are diversifying and competition is intensifying.  

By aligning ingredient transparency with its growth agenda, PepsiCo is signalling that consumer trust and product clarity are not peripheral concerns but central to its business strategy. The move reflects a recognition that modern consumers are not only driven by taste and price but also by the values and practices of the brands they choose.  

In a market where rivals are equally keen to capture consumer loyalty, PepsiCo’s decision to highlight “No Artificial Flavours or Colours” across its leading snack brands could set a new benchmark for openness in packaging communication. It is a step that reinforces the company’s reputation for innovation, while ensuring that its products remain relevant to the evolving expectations of India’s snack-loving consumers.