India’s food regulator is tightening its watch on labels and advertisements, prompting several companies to remove claims that suggest complete purity, added energy or wider health benefits.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has taken action against businesses using terms such as “100% pure”, “100% natural” and “energy drink” where the wording may mislead buyers or does not fit a recognised product standard.
Six companies, including Amway India, Emami, Bonn Biscuits, Apis India, Juza Foods and Masterchow Foods, have withdrawn or changed “100%” claims following notices from the regulator.
The corrections cover product packaging, company websites and advertisements. They form part of a broader enforcement drive in which FSSAI is examining whether the descriptions printed on food products accurately reflect their ingredients and regulatory classification.
Six Companies Change Their Claims
Amway India had marketed one of its products as “100% Pure Coconut Oil”. After the regulator’s intervention, the company confirmed that it had removed the term from its packaging and promotional material. It also informed FSSAI that older stock carrying the claim had been taken out of sales channels.
Emami revised the claim used for Zandu Honey, while Apis India made a similar change to its honey products.
Bonn Biscuits removed a “100%” claim from an online advertisement for its 76-gram Cummin Flavor Jeera Bite Biscuits. Juza Foods and Masterchow Foods also submitted corrective responses after receiving regulatory notices.
The action follows an advisory issued by FSSAI in May asking food companies to stop using absolute expressions such as “100%”, “100% pure” and “100% natural” when they cannot be clearly established under food regulations.
The regulator’s concern is that these words can create a stronger impression than the facts on the label support. A product described as “100% natural”, for example, may lead a customer to assume that it has no additives or has been processed in a particular way, even when the phrase has no clear regulatory meaning.
Under the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, labels cannot carry information that is false, deceptive or likely to create the wrong impression about a food product. Packages must also state the true nature of the food they contain.
The scrutiny is not limited to printed packs. Claims made on websites, e-commerce listings, social media posts and advertisements are also covered.
Energy-Drink Labels Face a Separate Deadline
High-caffeine beverages have emerged as another major area of dispute.
FSSAI has questioned the use of “energy drink” on products sold by companies including PepsiCo, Red Bull, Monster Beverage, Reliance Consumer Products and other manufacturers. It has also objected to promotional language suggesting that the beverages improve focus, fight weakness or deliver wider physical and mental benefits.
Companies were given 90 days to remove the disputed term and similar descriptions. Beverage manufacturers sought more time, arguing that millions of cans and bottles were already in shops, warehouses or pending import orders.
The industry reportedly asked for a compliance period of at least one year. FSSAI did not agree to the extension, maintaining that existing stocks could be cleared within the original window.
The disagreement matters because energy-related branding sits at the centre of the category. These drinks are marketed around alertness, performance and quick stimulation. Removing the word “energy” or changing familiar claims may require new packaging, revised advertising and a wider repositioning of established products.
The market is already large. Retail sales of such beverages in India are estimated to be growing by 12.6% a year, faster than in the United States and China. Sales nearly doubled between 2018 and 2023 and reached about 907 million litres last year, equal to more than three billion bottles or cans.
Demand grew rapidly after the launch of affordable products such as PepsiCo’s Sting. Low-priced packs helped the category expand among teenagers and customers in smaller towns and rural markets.
That growth has also drawn attention to caffeine, sugar and taurine levels. FSSAI’s present action, however, centres on regulatory classification and the claims made on labels rather than a ban on the beverages themselves.
State authorities have already started checking products at distributors and retail outlets. Stocks carrying disputed descriptions have been seized in some regions, increasing pressure on companies to replace packaging quickly.
Labelling Moves From Marketing to Compliance
For food companies, labels have long served two purposes: providing compulsory information and attracting buyers. FSSAI’s recent action narrows the space between the two.
Words such as “natural”, “healthy”, “fresh” and “pure” are common in packaged-food advertising. Their meaning is not always clear, particularly when products contain several ingredients or go through multiple stages of processing.
Companies will now need stronger internal checks before approving product names, front-of-pack messages and advertising copy. The same claim must also remain consistent across physical packaging, websites and online marketplaces.
That could drive up costs in the short term. Businesses could have to redesign labels, discard or relabel existing packaging, update advertising material and coordinate with distributors. Established brands may also need to rethink phrases that have been used for years.
The enforcement drive is expected to affect smaller manufacturers as well as large consumer companies. Smaller businesses may have fewer regulatory and legal resources, but they remain responsible for the accuracy of every statement made about their products.
The changes do not stop companies from highlighting genuine product qualities. Claims relating to ingredients, nutrition or other benefits can still be used when they are permitted, specific and supported by evidence. Broad statements that cannot be measured or verified are more likely to attract scrutiny.
Bottom Line
FSSAI’s latest action shows that food labelling is becoming a more closely enforced part of consumer regulation.
Six companies have already changed “100%” claims, while high-caffeine beverage makers face a 90-day deadline over the use of “energy drink” and related promotional language.
For brands, familiar marketing phrases can no longer be treated as harmless packaging copy. Product names, labels and advertisements will need to match the regulatory category of the food and avoid promises that cannot be clearly supported.
