Top brands remove health claims amid FSSAI crackdown, Pg14

Key Highlights:

• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has intensified its crackdown on misleading health and nutrient claims by food brands.
• Major companies, including Mondelez India Foods (maker of Bournvita), Amway India, and Juza Foods, have withdrawn flagged claims and advertisements.
• FSSAI has issued over 150 notices to various food companies for misleading advertisements, false claims, and labelling violations.
• Corrective actions include removing claims from product packaging and withdrawing advertisements from e-commerce platforms.

Detailed Insights:

• The FSSAI drive targets exaggerated health claims, deceptive brand names, and incorrect labelling that can mislead consumers about a product's nutritional qualities or composition.
• Mondelez India Foods withdrew health and nutrient-comparison claims for Bournvita, a product that had previously faced scrutiny over its sugar content and marketing to children.
• Amway India removed the "100%" descriptor from its "100% Pure Coconut Oil" and the "Energy Drink" label from its caffeinated XS range.
• Kerala-based Juza Foods agreed to withdraw multiple claims from its baby food products, including those related to immunity, digestion, and nutrient content.
• The regulatory actions are enforced under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018.
• Violations such as misbranding can attract penalties of up to ₹3 lakh under Section 52 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
• The FSSAI operates under the administrative control of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI): A statutory body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare responsible for regulating food safety and standards in India.
• Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006: The primary legislation that consolidates various food laws in India and established the FSSAI to ensure the availability of safe and wholesome food.
• Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018: A regulatory framework notified by FSSAI that governs how food businesses promote products and formulate nutritional/health claims to protect consumers from misleading practices.
• Misleading Advertisements: Promotional communications that are untruthful, ambiguous, or deceptive, potentially influencing consumer perception of a food product's quality or health benefits.