Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has intensified its scrutiny of food companies over misleading labels, product claims and branding practices after receiving notices from the regulator. Livyor and Rajasthan Agro were among those that were able to respond to FSSAI concerns after such intervention.
The move is part of FSSAI’s wider campaign to identify misleading claims in the food and beverage industry as well.
The regulator issued notices to several companies (such as food and beverage firms) recently over product names, trademarks, packaging language and advertising that could cause consumers to believe a product may be wrongfully sold. Food businesses have been directed to comply with provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and labelling regulations through FSSAI.
Food labelling is more important than ever when most consumers are buying and use packaging. “Healthy”, “natural”, “fresh”, “100 per cent” and “no added sugar” are words that can influence the consumers' perception of a product.
FSSAI’s enforcement means that such terms are used only once the product is in line with the regulatory requirements. Recently, the regulator’s actions showed that companies had changed packaging language after notices, removing or modifying the claims that could mislead consumers.
Under India’s food-labelling regime companies are required to give consumers factual information about the nature and characteristics of their products. The Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 prohibit false, misleading or deceptive labels that can lead to misleading consumers’ perception of the food product. Consumers should be able to see what they are purchasing without getting affected by false information that is not true.
The latest corrective action involving six companies is part of a wider enforcement trend. FSSAI has issued notices to businesses across different sectors of the food industry, including packaged foods, beverages, dairy products, health-related products and other consumer categories. In some cases, the regulator has expressed concerns about brand names or product descriptions that may suggest qualities or characteristics that do not meet prescribed standards.
On June 26, FSSAI issued notices to more than a dozen food and beverage companies over misleading claims, branding and labelling violations. Pluckk, Natural Paneer, Gaur Healthy Food, Master-Chow Foods, Ferrero India, MedizenLabs, Marico, Orville, Nexa Industries, Raw Pressery, Nutraceutical, Himalayan Organics, Bikanervala and Param Premium Dairy Products were among the companies involved. Different concerns were flagged for the product, such as sugar content and the use of terms such as “natural”, the regulator said.
FSSAI has also taken action against beverage companies over the use of the term “energy drink”. In July, six major beverage brands, including Red Bull, PepsiCo’s Adrenaline Rush, Reliance Consumer Products’ Campa Energy Gold Boost, Sting, Hell Energy and Coca-Cola-backed Monster Energy, received notices over misbranding and misleading claims.
The regulator’s approach is important because misleading packaging can affect consumers even when the underlying product itself is not necessarily unsafe. A label can shape expectations about nutritional value, ingredients, freshness or health benefits. FSSAI is seeking to improve transparency and make it easier for consumers to make informed choices with businesses to correct questionable claims.
Food companies will see the enforcement drive and that they must check packaging and advertising claims before products go out to market on a commercial basis. Businesses need to make sure names, descriptions, trademarks and promotional statements are in line with the regulations. Failure to do so can lead to regulatory notices and perhaps to further action under food safety laws.
FSSAI’s action involving six companies therefore represents more than a packaging correction. It’s part of a larger push toward accountability in India’s food industry, where more sophisticated marketing strategies can sometimes blur the line between factual product information and promotional language.
Companies may have to be under even greater pressure to substantiate claims and to ensure that what is advertised is consistent with what is actually contained in a product.
The developments also come in the context of broader public interest in food transparency and consumer health. In August, the Supreme Court questioned the Centre and FSSAI over delays concerning front-of-pack warning labels for packaged foods high in salt, sugar and saturated fat, putting more emphasis on the need for clear nutritional information in the market.
As FSSAI continues its enforcement campaign, consumers can expect more scrutiny of how food packaging and advertisements are written. Both manufacturers and food businesses would also be wise to understand the message: product claims need to be accurate, verifiable and compliant with regulatory requirements.
The corrective steps taken by the six companies following FSSAI notices demonstrate how regulatory intervention can change the way food products are presented to the public.
