Food companies must not use '100pc' claim in labelling and p
Food companies must not use '100pc' claim in labelling and promotions — FSSAI
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a strong advisory to food companies against the use of the term "100 per cent" in food labelling
NEW DELHI — The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has
issued a strong advisory to food companies against the use of the term
"100 per cent" in food labelling, citing concerns over its potential
to mislead consumers.
“Refrain from using the term on food labels, packaging,
and promotional content, owing to its ambiguity and potential for
misinterpretation within the existing regulatory provisions,” read the advisor to
all Food Business Operators (FBOs).
In the advisory issued, the apex food regulator
highlighted a noticeable surge in the use of the term "100 across"
across food product labels and promotional platforms.
“Such terminology is not only undefined under current
regulations but also misleading and likely to create a false impression among
consumers,” the FSSAI said.
As per the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and
Claims) Regulations, 2018, the term "100 per cent" is not defined or
referenced in any manner under the FSS Act, 2006, or the Rules and Regulations
made thereunder.
Furthermore, Sub-regulation 10(7) of the aforementioned
regulations strictly prohibits any advertisement or claim that undermines other
manufacturers or misleadingly influences consumer perception. As per
Sub-regulation 4(1) it shall be ensured that the Claims must be truthful,
unambiguous, meaningful, not misleading and help consumers to comprehend the
information provided, FSSAI said.
The use of the term "100 per cent"-whether in
isolation or combined with other descriptors is likely to create a false
impression of absolute purity or superiority.
“This could mislead consumers into believing that other
comparable products in the market are inferior or non-compliant with regulatory
standards,” the food regulatory body said.
The food regulator, had, in June 2024 issued a
notification directing FBOs to remove claims such as "100 per cent fruit
juices" from the label and advertisement of fruit juices.
Earlier in April, the FSSAI informed the Delhi High Court
that the claim made by FMCG giant Dabur that its range of fruit beverages is
made “100 per cent” from fruits violates rules and regulations and is also
misleading for the consumers.
The writ petition challenged Dabur against the “100 per
cent” claim stating that the juices contain water and fruit concentrates. In
addition, the term “100 per cent” is also not recognised for food products.
