The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has compelled several food business operators (FBOs) to withdraw misleading health, nutrition, trade, and product claims, with companies revising packaging, delisting products, and pulling advertisements from digital platforms. The regulatory action, announced on 25 August from New Delhi, underscores FSSAI's sharpening enforcement posture on consumer-facing food labelling.

Key Developments

Mondelez India Foods Private Limited was found to have made misleading health claims and nutrient comparative claims. Following the FSSAI notice, the company withdrew the claims and associated advertisements from e-commerce platforms and confirmed steps toward full regulatory compliance.

Sapiens Labs was similarly issued a notice over a misleading claim. The company submitted its response to the authority and withdrew all claims and advertisements linked to the product in question.

Products marketed by Vichlagro Products Pvt Ltd and processed and packed by Mrs Janki Jay Barot / JJ Foods were found to carry a misleading trade name. Following FSSAI's intervention, Flipkart responded to the authority and the concerned FBO delisted the product from the platform.

The Amway India '100 Per Cent' Violation

Amway India Enterprises Pvt Ltd, Delhi, was found to have used the term '100 per cent' in the product name '100 per cent Pure Coconut Oil'. FSSAI stated that this usage violated provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, as well as the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018 and the authority's own advisory on discontinuing the term '100 per cent' on food product labels and promotional material.

Amway India subsequently submitted a compliance response confirming it had voluntarily removed the term from its packaging and promotional material, and that old stock had been discontinued from sales channels.

What FSSAI Said

'Major food business operators have taken prompt corrective action following notices issued by FSSAI,' the authority stated. 'Measures include withdrawing misleading label claims and revising product packaging to ensure consumer safety and regulatory compliance,' it added. FSSAI framed the disclosures as part of its broader effort to ensure that food labels and promotional material do not carry claims capable of misleading consumers.

Why This Matters

The enforcement wave reflects a pattern of tightening regulatory scrutiny on health and nutrition claims in India's packaged food sector — a market that has seen rapid growth in 'functional' and 'clean label' products, many of which have attracted consumer trust on the basis of claims that regulators now contest. Notably, the cases span both multinational giants and smaller domestic operators, signalling that enforcement is not selective by company size. With e-commerce platforms now formally looped into compliance responses — as seen in the Flipkart case — FSSAI appears to be extending its reach beyond manufacturers to distribution channels as well. Further enforcement actions are expected as the authority continues its review of food labelling practices across the sector.