A 100% no food labels sent packing: FSSAI asks food companies not to make false claims of absolute purity
The FSSAI has intensified its scrutiny of packaged food companies, instructing them to discontinue "100%" claims on labels and promotional content, deeming them misleading. This directive aims to curb deceptive marketing practices and ensure consumers receive accurate information about food products.
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New Delhi: The government has tightened scrutiny on packaged food companies, directing them to discontinue claims of 100% on food labels, packaging and promotional content. It has termed such claims as "misleading to consumers, and ambiguous and prone to misinterpretation".In a May 28 advisory, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said "the term 100% is not defined or referenced in any manner under the Food Safety Act".The term 100% is "likely to convey false sense of absolute purity or superiority potentially leading consumers to believe that competing products in the market do not comply with prescribed standards," read the advisory, a copy of which was seen by ET.Many brands currently sell products such as chocolates, tea, honey, biscuits, and protein powders, displaying claims such as "100% sugar free, with millets, oats," the advisory further said."Such guidelines are beneficial for consumers and would help to weed out misleading claims. However, implementation is key and brands that make genuine claims should not be penalised under the 100% guideline," said a senior executive at a leading packaged snacks maker.The food regulator's directive is aimed at curbing misleading marketing practices and to ensure consumers get accurate information about food products. The FSSAI said its regulations "strictly prohibit" any ads or claims that undermine other companies or influence consumer perception in a misleading manner. It further said as per regulations, claims should be "truthful, unambiguous and meaningful not misleading and help consumers to comprehend the information provided."The food regulator had issued a notification mid-2024 directing companies to remove claims such as "100% fruit juices" from labels and ads. It also directed companies to exhaust all pre-printed packaging material, which claim 100% fruit juices in packaged juices, by December-end.One of the impacted brands, Dabur 's Real juice brand, and FSSAI are currently embroiled in a legal dispute on the issue. Last month, FSSAI told the Delhi High Court that Dabur's '100% fruit juice' claim on its packaging is not permitted under existing food safety regulations, terming it "misleading to consumers". The regulator had responded to Dabur challenging the directive.This February, FSSAI made certain amendments to its labelling regulations via a draft notification, with the aim of enabling consumers to make informed decisions about food products, especially those containing sugar, salt and saturated fat. Last year, the regulator had proposed that total salt, sugar, and saturated fat on labels should be displayed in bold letters and larger font sizes on packaged food products.
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