The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Sunday, 14 June initiated enforcement action against 14 food business operators (FBOs) for allegedly violating labelling norms under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, targeting misleading brand names, trade names, and product claims. The regulator announced the move via its official account on social media platform X, directing all cited companies to immediately comply with established labelling and display regulations.

Companies That Received Notices

The first set of notices was served to Healthy Master, Neuherbs True Vitamin, Plant B, The Health Factory, Troovy, Healthy Choice, Emami's Healthy & Tasty, and Health Aid. A second batch of notices went to Organic Wisdom, Shine Organic, Two Brothers Organic Farms, Storia, World of Organic, and Iota Water.

What FSSAI Found Objectionable

FSSAI flagged the trade names of Healthy Master, The Health Factory, Healthy Choice, Emami's Healthy & Tasty, and Health Aid, stating these names appear to contravene applicable regulations by implying health benefits that may not be substantiated.

In the case of Troovy's 'Healthy Mix' chips, the regulator noted that the use of the term 'healthy' could mislead consumers, given that the product contains ingredients that may not justify such a claim. For Neuherbs True Vitamin, FSSAI observed that the term 'True Vitamin' is neither defined nor recognised under existing regulations, potentially creating a false impression about the product's nutritional characteristics.

The regulator also scrutinised Plant B's trade name 'PLAN B Plant Based Vegan', noting it creates the impression of certified vegan status — yet the company had not obtained prior approval for vegan food products or the required vegan food endorsement in its licence.

Organic Claims Under the Scanner

Separately, Organic Wisdom, Shine Organic, and Two Brothers Organic Farms were served notices over their use of the word 'organic' in brand names. According to FSSAI, these companies did not possess the required certification, the Jaivik Bharat logo, or the necessary organic endorsements mandated under regulations — raising the risk of consumers being misled about the organic status of the products they purchase.

The Regulatory Context

This crackdown is part of FSSAI's broader push to enforce transparency in food labelling, an area that has drawn growing scrutiny as health-positioned packaged foods proliferate in the Indian market. Notably, this is not the first time the regulator has acted against brands leveraging wellness language without regulatory backing — similar enforcement rounds have targeted front-of-pack claims and fortification disclosures in recent years.

'FBOs are directed to strictly comply with the established labelling and display regulations to prevent consumer deception,' FSSAI said in its post on X. The notices require the companies to respond and demonstrate compliance; failure to do so could invite further regulatory action under the FSS Act, 2006.

What Happens Next

The cited food business operators are expected to respond to FSSAI's notices and either rectify their labelling or provide justification for their current practices. Consumer advocacy groups have long pushed for stricter enforcement of labelling norms, arguing that vague 'healthy' and 'organic' claims distort purchasing decisions. With this action covering 14 brands simultaneously, FSSAI appears to be signalling a more systematic approach to compliance rather than isolated interventions.