FSSAI orders major firms to withdraw misleading food claims

India's food safety regulator has ordered major companies, including Mondelez India, to withdraw misleading health and nutritional claims from products and advertisements, marking a significant escalation in a nationwide crackdown on deceptive marketing. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) confirmed that Mondelez, the maker of the popular children's beverage Bournvita, has complied by removing flagged claims and related advertisements from e-commerce platforms.

The action against Mondelez is part of a broader enforcement campaign. FSSAI stated it has issued more than 150 notices to prominent food and beverage companies in recent months for misleading advertisements, false claims, and labelling non-compliance. The list of companies includes major conglomerates such as Nestlé India, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola India, Abbott India, Red Bull India, Danone India, Ferrero India, and Kenvue.

FSSAI's intervention specifically concerns claims that could give consumers an inaccurate impression of a product's nutritional or health benefits. For Bournvita, this involved concerns over health and nutrient-comparison claims. The regulator emphasized that the action does not...