The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has stepped up enforcement against food companies over misleading advertisements, false health and nutrition claims and labelling violations, issuing more than 150 notices to food business operators (FBOs) in recent months.
The food regulator said major companies, including Nestlé India, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola India, Abbott India, Red Bull India, Danone India, Monster Energy India, Mondelez India, Ferrero India and Kenvue Inc, are among those against whom action has been taken.
"Over 150 notices issued for misleading advertisements, false claims & labelling non-compliances," FSSAI said in a social media update.
The action forms part of a wider enforcement drive covering manufacturers, e-commerce platforms and food-service establishments. FSSAI said it has also seized products in several cases where violations were detected.
Major Food Brands under Scrutiny
The regulator's list of companies facing action includes Nestlé India, PepsiCo, Abbott India Ltd, Red Bull India, Danone India, Monster Energy India Pvt Ltd, Hell Energy Pvt Ltd, Mondelez India, Coca-Cola India, Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Ferrero India and Kenvue Inc.
The enforcement has particularly covered claims relating to health, nutrition and product characteristics, along with advertisements and packaging that FSSAI considers potentially misleading or non-compliant with food regulations.
Among the companies highlighted by the regulator is Mondelez India Foods which makes Bournvita and Cadbury products. The company withdrew health and nutrient-comparison claims flagged by FSSAI and removed related advertisements from e-commerce platforms.
Bournvita had previously faced scrutiny over its sugar content and nutritional claims, particularly in relation to its marketing to children.
FSSAI said other FBOs have also withdrawn claims, delisted products or revised their packaging following regulatory intervention.
Companies Withdraw Claims after Notices
Sapiens Labs also received a notice over a misleading claim. According to FSSAI, the company responded to the regulator and withdrew the claims and advertisements associated with the product.
Kerala-based Juza Foods agreed to withdraw claims, including 'boost immunity', 'support stronger bones' and comparative calcium claims, from its baby-food products.
FSSAI said these corrective measures demonstrate that several major FBOs have responded to notices by withdrawing claims and revising packaging.
The regulator has been particularly focused on the use of absolute terms in food marketing. In May 2025, FSSAI advised food businesses to discontinue the use of '100%' on labels, packaging and promotional material, stating that the expression could imply absolute purity or superiority.
E-commerce Platforms, Restaurants Also Face Action
FSSAI's enforcement drive has extended beyond food manufacturers to online marketplaces and food-service establishments.
The regulator said it has issued 12 notices to e-commerce companies, including Amazon and Flipkart. It also said that the licence of one Amazon warehouse has been cancelled.
More than 30 notices have been issued to food-service establishments, including major chains such as KFC, McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Domino's and Costa Coffee.
FSSAI said it has also suspended five licences of Domino's.
The regulator had issued notices to several five-star hotels in the past year as part of its enforcement activities.
The widening scope of the action reflects FSSAI's attempt to ensure that regulatory compliance extends across the food supply chain, including manufacturers, online sellers and restaurants.
Licences Suspended over Serious Violations
The regulator said the action followed serious non-compliances detected during an inspection of the company's food business premises and subsequent scrutiny.
FSSAI has also issued a prohibition order against Daman-based SDP Industries Pvt Ltd, preventing the company from selling all variants of ghee after the regulator uncovered serious violations.
The actions indicate that FSSAI's current enforcement drive is not limited to advertising and labelling issues and can result in more severe regulatory measures where food safety violations are detected.
ITC Gets Interim Protection from Delhi High Court
Meanwhile, the regulatory push over '100%' claims has also resulted in litigation. The Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted interim protection to ITC Ltd after the company challenged FSSAI advisories and notices concerning the use of '100%' in relation to its Aashirvaad MP Chakki Atta.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma directed that FSSAI should not, for the time being, cancel ITC's licence over the company's failure to comply with directions to remove '100%' claims concerning the product.
The Court said that since the issue of jurisdiction remained to be decided, no decision regarding cancellation of the licence would be taken until the next hearing. The matter has been listed for 9 September.
The case highlights the broader regulatory and legal questions surrounding FSSAI's direction to food companies to discontinue absolute claims such as '100%'.
Focus Shifts to Substantiating Food Claims
FSSAI's latest enforcement actions underline the regulator's increasing focus on claims made on food labels, in advertisements, and on digital commerce platforms.
Health and nutrition claims can significantly influence consumer purchasing decisions, particularly when products are marketed as providing health benefits, improving nutrition or offering superiority over competing products.
The regulator's action suggests that food companies are being expected to ensure that such claims are adequately supported and presented in a manner that does not mislead consumers.
At the same time, the corrective actions reported by FSSAI show that enforcement does not always result in penalties or licence cancellations. In several cases, companies have withdrawn advertisements, modified packaging or removed claims after receiving notices.
The challenge for the regulator will be to ensure that such corrective action results in sustained compliance rather than temporary changes made in response to enforcement notices.
With more than 150 notices issued in recent months and enforcement extending to e-commerce warehouses and major restaurant chains, FSSAI's latest drive marks a significant tightening of scrutiny over how food products are marketed, labelled and sold to consumers.
