Latest news with #FoodSafetyandStandardsActof2006
News18
02-06-2025
- Business
- News18
Here's Why FSSAI Is Warning Food Brands Against Using ‘100%' Claims On Labels
Last Updated: The FSSAI has issued a warning to food businesses against using misleading '100%' claims on their packaging, labels, or advertisements. Read on to find out why. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) warned food businesses against using '100 per cent' claims on their packaging, labels and advertisements. The regulatory body issued the statement as many companies were promoting their products like '100 per cent natural', '100 per cent pure' and '100 per cent organic'. In the FSSAI notice dated May 30, 2025, the food body pointed out that the term 100 per cent is not recognised under the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006 or the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations of 2018. They said the phrasing could mislead consumers and rig the market competition. On surface '100 per cent' sounds reassuring, however, could be deceptive. An NDTV report stated that many fruit juice products are labelled as '100 per cent juice', however, it is made from fruit concentrate mixed with water rather than fresh juice. The report added that the phrasing created a perception of absolute purity or exceptional quality which may not reflect the actual product content. The consumers, the agency said, focus on bold claims made on the front label but ignore fine print on the back while making quick purchasing decisions. The FSSAI said such marketing tactics not only mislead consumers but also place competing products at a disadvantage, especially those that are truthful and not marketed aggressively. According to the report, sub-regulation 4(1) of the Advertising and Claims Regulations, 2018, all claims made on food products should be truthful, unambiguous, not misleading, and should help customers comprehend the product information clearly. Additionally, sub-regulation 10(7) prohibits any claim or advertisement which distorts consumer perception or unfairly disparages other products. Reportedly, FSSAI said that these '100 per cent' purity claims often fail to meet the aforementioned conditions, potentially breaching existing advertising regulations. As per another CNBC report, the regulatory body has urged food businesses to refrain from using '100 per cent' in any labelling, branding, or promotional content unless it is verifiable and clearly defined. The objective is to maintain open communication while safeguarding consumer rights and ensuring equitable practices in food advertising. This advisory serves as FSSAI's renewed pledge to combat misleading marketing while fostering informed dietary decisions among Indian consumers. First Published: June 02, 2025, 16:15 IST
The Hindu
16-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Tirupati laddu row: Madras High Court sets aside suspension of FSSAI licence of Dindigul-based A.R. Dairy Food
The Madras High Court on Friday (May 16, 2025) set aside the suspension of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licence issued to Dindigul-based A.R. Dairy Food Private Limited for having allegedly supplied ghee with foreign fat, instead of milk fat, to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) for preparing the laddu prasadam. Justice V. Lakshminarayanan allowed a writ petition filed by A.R. Dairy Food Private Limited, challenging the suspension order passed by the central licensing authority, under the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006, on February 14, 2025. He also remitted the matter to the licensing authority for reconsideration. The judge made it clear that the authority must consider whether the licence must be suspended with respect to the production of ghee alone or also with respect to other products too. He also ordered that fresh proceedings be issued within four weeks after reconsidering the matter in accordance with his directions. Justice Lakshminarayanan stated that the licence shall be considered to have been suspended only with respect to the manufacture of ghee, until the licensing authority reconsiders the matter and issues fresh proceedings. The judge further observed that suspension of licence could be in force for a maximum period of six weeks and not indefinitely. If the licensing authority wanted to prevent the petitioner company from making any food products permanently, after arriving at a conclusion that it had indeed adulterated the ghee supplied to TTD, then the only option available would be to cancel the FSSAI licence by following due procedures of law, he added. Since the writ petition had been allowed on a technical ground, the judge directed the petitioner company to pay costs of ₹2 lakh to the central licensing authority within two weeks. The orders were reserved in the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on April 2, 2025, but delivered at the principal seat of the High Court in Chennai. In its affidavit, the dairy company had claimed to have been procuring milk from 13,000 suppliers every day by employing 400 staff members. The sudden suspension of the licence preventing the dairy from manufacturing any milk product, and not just ghee, had come as a shocker to all those dependent on the company, it said. It also argued that the licensing authority had initially issued an improvement notice under Section 32 of the 2006 Act but abandoned those proceedings midway and instead suspended the FSSAI licence by invoking the ground of public interest.
