- FSSAI has taken action against FBOs using "100%" claims on food products
- Five companies withdrew "100%" claims following FSSAI's intervention
- Companies involved include Bonn Biscuits, Apis India, Emami, Amway, Juza Foods
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has stepped up action against food business operators (FBOs) using “100%” claims on product labels, packaging, advertisements and promotional material, citing concerns that such claims could mislead consumers. Following the regulator's intervention, five FBOs have taken corrective measures and withdrawn “100%” claims from their products and advertisements.
The five companies are Bonn Biscuits Private Ltd, M/S Apis India Ltd and M/S Emami Ltd, M/S Amway India Enterprises Ltd, M/S Juza Foods, Kerala, and M/S Masterchow Foods Pvt Ltd.
The action forms part of FSSAI's wider efforts to ensure that food-related claims made by companies are clear, verifiable and compliant with applicable labelling and advertising regulations.
FSSAI has initiated action against FBOs to discontinue the use of the term “100%” across labels, packaging, promotional material and advertising. The regulator has raised concerns that absolute claims such as “100% Pure” or “100% Natural” can create an impression of complete purity or naturalness that may not be objectively verifiable.
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The five FBOs have now withdrawn the disputed claims following FSSAI's intervention.
Dabur Also Faces FSSAI Action
Separately, FSSAI had directed Dabur India to immediately stop selling a range of food products carrying what it described as misleading “100%” claims. The prohibition order covers products including honey, apple cider vinegar, virgin coconut oil, sesame oil, cow ghee, coconut water and coconut milk.
The products were marketed using claims including “100% Natural”, “100% Pure”, “100% Purity Guaranteed”, “100% Organic” and “100% Tender Coconut Water”. According to FSSAI, such claims violate the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018, as they are ambiguous, unverifiable and likely to mislead consumers.
FSSAI also flagged Dabur Himalayan Organic Apple Cider Vinegar and Dabur Organic Honey for displaying the Jaivik Bharat logo without a valid FSSAI organic endorsement. The regulator said this was contrary to the Food Safety and Standards (Organic Foods) Regulations, 2017.
FSSAI additionally raised objections to Dabur Hommade Coconut Milk carrying the claim “100% Purity”, stating that such a claim is not permissible for compound food products under the advertising and claims regulations. The regulator said the action followed Dabur's failure to adequately comply with an earlier notice directing the company to discontinue the disputed claims.
Dabur India has approached the Delhi High Court challenging FSSAI's action against the sale of food products carrying claims such as “100% Pure”, “100% Natural”, “100% Purity Guaranteed” and “100% Organic”.
Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi sought urgent listing of the matter before a bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia, according to Bar and Bench.
The court accepted the request and allowed the matter to be listed urgently.
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