India’s food regulator has taken action over misleading advertisements, false claims and violations of food labelling rules.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has intensified its enforcement against major food and beverage companies, issuing more than 150 notifications over misleading claims, deceptive advertising and violations of food labelling requirements.
The enforcement action, announced by the food safety regulator on August 22, covers several prominent companies, including Nestle India, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola India, Mondelez India, Red Bull India and Ferrero India.
FSSAI said the notifications were issued following enforcement actions against food business operators (FBOs) over the past several months.
FSSAI widens its food safety crackdown
The regulator named several major companies as part of its recent enforcement efforts.
The list includes Abbott India, Red Bull India, Danone India, Monster Energy India, Hell Energy, Mondelez India, Coca-Cola India, Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Ferrero India and Kenvue.
According to FSSAI, multiple food business operators have faced action for what the regulator described as serious violations of food safety laws and regulations.
The enforcement has also extended to categories such as energy drinks and alcoholic beverages, which have faced increased regulatory scrutiny over product claims and consumer communication.
FSSAI said products from several businesses were also confiscated following violations.
Amazon and Flipkart receive notices.
The regulator’s action has not been limited to manufacturers and food brands.
Online marketplaces Amazon and Flipkart have received a combined 12 notifications, according to FSSAI.
The authority also said that the licence of one Amazon warehouse was cancelled as part of its enforcement action.
The move highlights the increasing regulatory focus on the wider food supply chain, including businesses involved in storing and selling food products online.
Fast-food chains also face action.
Several major restaurant and fast-food chains have also come under FSSAI scrutiny.
The regulator said it issued more than 30 notifications to companies including McDonald’s, Costa Coffee, Pizza Hut, Domino’s and KFC.
FSSAI also said that five Domino’s licences were placed on hold.
The enforcement campaign demonstrates that regulatory scrutiny is extending across different parts of the food industry, from packaged food and beverages to restaurants, warehouses and online marketplaces.
Six companies take corrective action.
The enforcement campaign has already prompted several businesses to make changes.
FSSAI said that, as of August 16, six food business operators had responded to its notices and taken corrective measures.
These actions include removing misleading claims and changing product packaging and labels.
One example cited by FSSAI is Livyor Ventures Pvt Ltd, which removed the “vegan & healthy” claim from the label of its Livyor Roasted Edamame Beans product following the regulator’s intervention.
The company made the changes after receiving a notice concerning the claims on its product label.
FSSAI said such corrective measures are intended to protect consumers while ensuring that food businesses comply with applicable regulations.
What the crackdown means for food companies
The latest enforcement action sends a clear signal to India’s food and beverage industry. Claims made on packaging, advertisements and product labels must meet regulatory requirements.
For major brands, the scrutiny could mean greater internal checks around health claims, nutritional descriptions, trademarks, packaging and advertising before products reach consumers.
For consumers, stronger enforcement could also mean greater transparency about what food and beverage products actually contain and what companies can legitimately claim about them.
With more than 150 notifications issued and enforcement extending to manufacturers, restaurants, warehouses and online marketplaces, the FSSAI food safety crackdown marks a broader push to strengthen compliance across India’s food ecosystem.
For consumers, product labels and advertising play an important role in communicating information about ingredients, nutritional value and product benefits. FSSAI’s enforcement action signals that companies are expected to ensure these claims comply with India’s food safety and advertising requirements.
The action covers some of the country’s largest consumer food and beverage businesses, putting greater pressure on brands to review how products are marketed and described.
Why FSSAI is tightening enforcement
Food and beverage companies operate in a market where packaging and advertising can significantly influence purchasing decisions.
Claims relating to health, nutrition, ingredients or product benefits can therefore attract regulatory scrutiny if they are considered inaccurate or potentially misleading.
The latest notifications indicate that enforcement is extending beyond smaller businesses to major multinational and domestic corporations.
For companies, this could mean greater attention to packaging language, advertising claims and regulatory compliance before products reach consumers.
What it means for consumers
The crackdown could ultimately push brands towards clearer and more transparent communication on product packaging and in advertising.
For consumers, that means claims made on food and beverage products may face closer regulatory examination.
With more than 150 notifications issued, the action also sends a broader message to the industry: brand reputation and market scale do not remove the responsibility to comply with food safety and labelling rules.
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Photo: Nestle, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola face food safety crackdown by food authority
Source: Startup Tallkey
