Food Regulator Orders Dabur to End Misleading '100%' Claims on Food Products

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed Dabur India Limited to stop selling several food products, including honey, cow ghee, and edible oils, that carry '100 per cent' claims on their labels. The regulator stated that such labelling is misleading and contravenes Indian food safety laws.

In a social media announcement on Monday, the FSSAI said it has issued a prohibition order against Dabur India Ltd for selling products with claims such as '100 per cent Natural', '100 per cent Pure', '100 per cent Purity Guaranteed', '100 per cent Organic', and '100 per cent Tender Coconut Water'. These claims were found on the company's website for items including honey, apple cider vinegar, virgin coconut oil, sesame oil, cow ghee, coconut water, and coconut milk.

The regulator said these '100 per cent' claims violate the FSS (Advertising & Claims) Regulations, 2018, because they are ambiguous, unverifiable, and likely to mislead consumers. Under these regulations, food businesses must ensure that all claims made on labels or in advertisements are clear, truthful, and substantiated.

Responding to the directive, a Dabur India spokesperson said, “We have received the FSSAI notice and are in the process of checking the content mentioned in the notice on our website.”

The FSSAI also flagged specific violations. Dabur Himalayan Organic Apple Cider Vinegar and Dabur Organic Honey were found displaying the 'Jaivik Bharat' logo without a valid FSSAI organic endorsement. Additionally, Dabur Hommade Coconut Milk was marketed with the claim '100 per cent Purity', which the regulator said is not permissible for compound foods under the 2018 regulations.

This is not the first time the regulator has raised concerns. The FSSAI noted that it had previously issued a notice to Dabur directing the company to discontinue such misleading claims. However, no satisfactory corrective action was taken by the company. As a result, the FSSAI has now directed Dabur to immediately halt the sale of the identified products and any other food items carrying misleading '100 per cent' claims. The company must also submit an Action Taken Report (ATR) within 15 days.

Over the past few months, the FSSAI has increasingly used social media platforms to inform the public about enforcement actions taken against food business operators and e-commerce companies selling such products online. This move is part of a broader effort to ensure compliance with food safety and advertising standards in India.