India’s top food safety regulator has launched a major nationwide enforcement drive against deceptive marketing. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued over 150 show-cause notices to leading food and beverage giants. The crackdown targets misleading advertisements, false nutritional claims, and widespread labelling violations. Several multinational brands and domestic food operators are now under intense regulatory scrutiny.
Major Global and Domestic Food Giants Under the Scanner
The regulator’s notices target some of the largest packaged food and beverage corporations operating in India. The named companies include Nestle India, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola India, Abbott India, and Mondelez India. Energy drink makers like Red Bull, Monster Energy, and Hell Energy have also received notices.
In addition, liquor manufacturers such as Diageo and Pernod Ricard face regulatory action alongside personal care giant Kenvue and confectionery brand Ferrero. The authority has also sent formal notices to 20 luxury five-star hotels for food compliance breaches.
Deceptive ‘100%’ Purity Claims and Labelling Violations
The central issue behind the crackdown is false front-of-pack claims that mislead consumers. Many packaged brands marketed reconstituted fruit juices and processed edible oils with bold “100% pure” or “100% natural” labels.
However, food safety laws strictly prohibit ambiguous terms that create an unverified impression of absolute purity. Furthermore, several brands failed to prominently display high levels of added sugar, sodium, and saturated fats.
The regulator warned that masking unhealthy ingredients behind wellness buzzwords directly violates the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018.
Stricter Regulatory Audits and Consumer Protection Push
The FSSAI has ordered all companies to immediately rectify their product labels and withdraw non-compliant advertisement. Companies that fail to provide satisfactory explanations within the stipulated timeframe will face heavy financial penalties, product recalls, and potential license suspensions.
Moreover, the food authority is expanding its surveillance to e-commerce and quick-commerce delivery platforms.
This ongoing drive aims to protect consumer health and ensure total transparency in packaged food marketing across the country.
Curated news reports, in-depth analysis, and special features by India’s Opinion editorial team.
