Sugar and salt in Indian chocolate and confectionery: What 236 labels say
From my study of Indian packaged-food labels on Open Food Facts. Every number comes from the back of the pack.
Quick answers
How many Indian chocolate and confectionery have added sugar?
86% of the 236 chocolate and confectionery labels I read list an added sugar. In 77% a sugar is one of the first 3 ingredients, so it is a big part of the food.
Do chocolate and confectionery hide sugar under other names?
34% list sugar under 2 or more names. After plain sugar, the most common is liquid glucose, on 25% of labels.
How much sugar is in Indian chocolate and confectionery?
The median is 46.33 g of sugar in 100 g, about 12 teaspoons. That is from 82 products with a sugar value.
How much salt is in Indian chocolate and confectionery?
The median is 0.24 g of salt in 100 g. That is 5% of the 5 g a day WHO sets for adults. From 77 products with a salt or sodium value.
Other names for sugar on chocolate and confectionery labels
Share of the 236 labels that list each one. The guide explains each name.
| Sugar name | Share of labels |
|---|---|
| Liquid glucose, glucose syrup | 24.6% |
| Invert sugar, invert syrup, golden syrup | 7.6% |
| Dextrose, glucose | 6.4% |
| Lactose | 5.9% |
| Jaggery, gur, gud, shakkar | 2.5% |
How to check a pack yourself
Turn the pack over. Read the list at the back from the top, and look for every name of sugar, not just the word sugar. Then check the sugar and salt for 100 g in the nutrition table. Paste any list into the Label Checker and it marks the sugar names for you.
Where this comes from
This is one category of the India Label Index 2026. The data is from Open Food Facts, filled in by volunteers, so it is not every pack in India. It covers categories, not brands, and rates no product. Full method and limits.
Narsinghani, D. (2026). Sugar and salt in Indian chocolate and confectionery: What 236 labels say. India Label Index 2026. https://devnarsinghani22.github.io/india-label-index/chocolate-and-sweets/. Data from Open Food Facts (ODbL).