Packaging on certain products sold under the Nestlé India and Hindustan Unilever Ltd labels has drawn formal notices from FSSAI, the country's food safety regulator, over claims the authority considers inaccurate or deceptive. Formal notices addressing what the authority described as deceptive product claims and regulatory non-compliance were sent to both companies, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India announced through a weekend social media post.
Regulators directed HUL to address advertising claims attached to its 400g Horlicks Women's Plus Chocolate Nutrition Drink, which were found to be misleading. FSSAI determined that three on-pack claims tied to the product — covering bone nutrition, a six-month clinical improvement assertion, and a general bone health statement — fell short of what the relevant regulatory framework requires.
A regulatory review determined that the label "Healthy Muscles" did not meet the standards set out for permissible use of the word "healthy" in food-related claims. The regulator also flagged the "No Added Sugar" label as potentially misleading, given that maltodextrin featured among the product's ingredients. Regulators determined that the product's advertised claim of supplying the full recommended daily allowance of Calcium, Vitamin D, and K2 fell outside the boundaries set by applicable food safety rules.
A formal notice from FSSAI now awaits HUL's reply within the timeframe set out by the regulator. Relevant licensing bodies and e-commerce operators have each been asked to follow through with whatever steps fall within their remit.
A food-safety notice targeting alleged misleading product claims on the 400g BIB pack of Horlicks Mother's Plus Kesar has been raised by FSSAI, with the matter linked to HUL. Regulators determined that the label phrase "Healthy Birth Weight" and the accompanying advertising line "For baby's healthy birth weight" both ran counter to the FSS (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018, with each carrying the potential to mislead consumers.
According to the statement, the online listing displayed the product under a name that incorporated phrases referencing pregnancy and lactation support, protein content for birth weight, DHA for brain development, and the absence of added sugar. A show-cause notice has been issued to HUL, with the company required to file its reply within the prescribed timeframe. The food safety authority put companies on notice that inadequate replies could prompt additional regulatory steps.
Formal compliance notices have been sent by the regulator to three companies — Nestlé India, Schreiber Dynamix Dairies Private Ltd, and Lotus Dairy Products Pvt Ltd — over their failure to adhere to the applicable rules governing Nescafé Ready-to-Drink products. Investigations into online retail activity revealed that three Nescafé-branded products — Cappuccino-flavoured "Intense Cafe," "Choco Mocha," and "Chilled Latte" — were being listed and sold through e-commerce channels under Nestlé India's name, with Schreiber Dynamix Dairies and Lotus Dairy Products identified as their respective manufacturers.
Labelling inconsistencies were identified across the packaging, with one side of the container carrying the designation "Flavoured Milk" while the reverse panel used an entirely different classification — "Proprietary Food - Dairy Based Drink." Online listings for the product used the phrase "Coffee Flavoured Milk," a label that did not align with what appeared on the packaging itself. Listings on e-commerce platforms carried language such as "crafted with the goodness of flavoured double toned milk," wording that did not align with the actual composition or product category stated in the formal declaration. The regulator characterised the company's classification of the product as proprietary food as flawed and asked the firm to account for that designation.
A formal notice from FSSAI alleging misleading product claims has been directed at Nestlé India over its Resource Renal Vanilla Flavour Powder, adding to a separate regulatory matter already involving the company. The item is classified under the regulatory category covering food products designed to support the nutritional management of conservatively treated chronic kidney disease. Regulatory clearance from food authorities is a prerequisite for placing such products on the market, with the relevant requirements flowing from the FSS (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, and Prebiotic and Probiotic Food) Regulations, 2022. Nestlé India, according to FSSAI, moved forward without securing the mandatory advance authorisation, leaving the product outside the bounds of the relevant regulatory framework.
