Bournvita which is widely consumed along with milk, will no longer be considered a healthy drink. The central government has sent a notice to all eCommerce companies ordering them to stop listing drinks and beverages under the health drinks category on their retail portals. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) had earlier written to the Commerce and Industry Ministry advising all eCommerce companies to remove drinks and beverages from the category.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has asked all eCommerce companies to remove all drinks and beverages, including Bournvita, from the category of health drinks from their retail portals. This comes after the FSSAI, on 2 April, asked all eCommerce companies to ensure appropriate categorization of products sold on their websites.
According to a India Today report, NCPCR, a statutory body of the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005 after its inquiry under Section 14 of CPCR Act, 2005, concluded that there is no ‘health drink defined under FSS Act 2006, Rules and regulations as submitted by FSSAI and Mondelez India,’ the ministry said a notification.
FSSAI has clarified that the term ‘health drink’ is not defined or standardized anywhere under any act. Therefore, FSSAI has advised all eCommerce companies to promptly rectify this misclassification by removing or de-linking such drinks or beverages from the category of ‘health drinks/energy drinks’ on their websites and placing such products in the appropriate category as provided under the extant law, a statement said.
“Proprietary foods are items of food that are not standardized in food safety and standards (food product standards and food additives) regulations and food safety and standards (health supplements, nutraceuticals, food for special dietary use, food for special medical purpose, functional food, and novel food) regulations, but use standardized ingredients,” the statement added.
The corrective action aims to enhance clarity and transparency regarding the nature and functional properties of the products and ensure that consumers can make well-informed choices without encountering misleading information, the statement further said.
IndiFoodBev — authentic, impactful and influential
An English-language food and beverage processing and packaging industry B2B platform in print and web, IndiFoodBev is in its third year of publication. It is said that the Indian food and beverage industries represent approximately US$ 900 billion in revenues which implies more than 20% of the country’s GDP. Eliminating the wastage on the farmside can help to deliver more protein to a higher number of the population apart from generating sizable exports. The savings in soil, seeds, water, fertilizer, energy and ultimately food and nutrition could be the most immense contribution that country is poised to make to the moderation of climate change.
To improve your marketing and grow sales to the food and beverage processing and packaging industry, talk to us. Our research and consulting company IppStar [www.ippstar.org] can assess your potential and addressable markets in light of the competition. We can discuss marketing, communication, and sales strategies for market entry and growth.
Suppliers and service providers with a strategy and budget for targeted marketing can discuss using our hybrid print, web, video, and social media channels to create brand recognition linked to market relevance. Our technical writers are ready to meet you and your customers for content.
The second largest producer of fruit and vegetables in the world is continuously expanding processing capacities and delivery systems with appropriate innovative technologies. We cover product and consumer trends, nutrition, processing, research, equipment and packaging from farm to thali. Get our 2025 media kit and recalibrate your role in this dynamic market. Enhance your visibility and relevance to existing markets and turn potential customers into conversations. Ask for a sample copy of our bi-monthly in print or our weekly IndiFoodBev eZine each Wednesday.
For editorial info@ippgroup.in — for advertisement ads1@ippgroup.in and for subscriptions subscription@ippgroup.in
Naresh Khanna – 10 February 2025
Subscribe Now
