- Dabur India challenged FSSAI's ban on "100%" claims in Delhi High Court urgently.
- FSSAI argued "100%" claims are ambiguous, unverifiable, and potentially misleading consumers.
- Products affected include honey, ghee, vinegar, oils, coconut water, and coconut milk.
Dabur India has approached the Delhi High Court challenging the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India's (FSSAI) 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, as per Bar and Bench. The court accepted the request and allowed the matter to be listed urgently.
The legal challenge comes after FSSAI directed Dabur to stop selling certain food products carrying such absolute “100%” claims. The regulator has argued that these expressions are ambiguous, difficult to verify and capable of creating a misleading impression among consumers.
The products covered by the action include honey, cow ghee, apple cider vinegar, virgin coconut oil, sesame oil, coconut water and coconut milk. The regulator's broader concern is that an absolute “100%” claim can suggest complete purity or superiority that may not be objectively established.
Why is FSSAI Targeting ‘100%' Claims?
FSSAI's action is part of a broader effort to tighten the way food companies communicate product attributes to consumers.
The regulator had already advised food businesses in May 2025 to avoid using “100%” on food labels, packaging and promotional material, saying the expression is not defined under India's existing food regulations and can create a false impression of absolute purity or superiority.
Under the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018, claims are required to be truthful, unambiguous, meaningful and not misleading.
Also Read: Dabur Explores Legal Options Following FSSAI Crackdown On '100% Pure' Labels
FSSAI has argued that the word “100%”, particularly when paired with terms such as “pure” or “natural”, can make consumers believe that competing products are inferior or fail to meet similar standards.
The regulatory scrutiny is not limited to Dabur. In June, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) imposed ₹1 lakh penalties each on Storia Foods and Mrs Bectors for misleading “100%” claims and directed them to remove the claims from packaging, websites and digital platforms.
Dabur-FSSAI Dispute Puts Food Labelling Under Spotlight
For Dabur, the Delhi High Court case could have implications beyond individual products. The dispute touches on how food companies can use absolute quality and purity claims in a market where such language has become an important part of branding.
The company has also indicated that it is phasing out “100%” labels and updating packaging and advertising, while pursuing legal remedies against the regulator's action.
The court's consideration of Dabur's challenge will therefore be closely watched by the wider packaged-food industry.
At stake is not merely the use of three characters on a product label, but the regulatory boundary between marketing language and claims that consumers can reasonably interpret as factual guarantees.
Also Read: Blinkit Gets FSSAI Letter Over 'Bad-Quality Curd
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