On April 2, 2024, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India directed all e-commerce food business operators to ensure appropriate categorisation of food products being sold on their websites. Photo: X/@fssaiindia

The government has asked all the e-commerce companies to remove drinks and beverages, including Bournvita, from the health drinks category from their portals.

“National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), a statutory body constituted under section (3) of the Commission of Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act 2005 after its inquiry under Section 14 of CRPC Act 2005 concluded that there is no ‘health drink’ defined under FSS Act 2006, rules and regulations submitted by FSSAI and Mondelez India Food Pvt Ltd,” the Commerce and Industry Ministry said in an advisory to all e-commerce companies.

The order is dated April 10, 2024.

It said that all e-commerce companies or portals are advised to remove drinks and beverages, including Bournvita, from the category of health drinks from their platforms or sites.

On April 2, food safety standards regulator FSSAI directed all e-commerce food business operators (FBOs) to ensure appropriate categorisation of food products being sold on their websites.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has noted that instances of food products licensed under ‘Proprietary Food’ with the nearest category Dairy-Based Beverage Mix or Cereal-Based Beverage Mix or Malt-Based Beverage being sold on e-commerce websites under the category Health Drink, Energy Drink, etc, it added.

Watch | What are the regulations around misleading food ads?

On the 29th of April, the food safety and standards authority of India flagged 32 fresh cases of food business operators or food manufacturers making misleading claims and advertisements. regulators also stated that a total of 170 such cases have been reported in the last six months.

While the regulator did not take any names it stated that the violators include manufacturers of Neutraceutical products refined oils pulses flours milk products and ghee.

It asked them to refrain from making such claims and ads in the larger consumer interest and avoiding enforcement actions. This happened days after a social media influencer had made certain allegations against health drink Bournvita’s health attributes.

So, when can you call a produce ‘pure’, or ‘natural’, or ‘fresh’? We decode nutritional claims in food ads.

Read the full story here.

Reporting and presentation: Saptaparno Ghosh

Production: Shikha Kumari