Dabur has been banned from selling multiple products over allegations of ‘misleading claims’ on the packaging. The Food Safety and Standards Authority came down heavily against the company on Monday, issuing prohibition orders directing an immediate end to sale of such products.

“FSSAI has issued a Prohibition Order directing Dabur India Limited to immediately cease the sale of food products carrying misleading “100%” claims,” the regulatory body shared via X.

Meanwhile, Reuters on Tuesday reported that Dabur has clarified that the FSSAI order prohibits the use of “100%” claims on products such as honey and coconut water. The company reportedly said it is exploring available options in response to the regulator’s directive and has already begun transitioning product labels in line with the FSSAI’s communication.

It also said it is seeking legal advice to determine its future course of action.

Quoting the company, Reuters reported that the impact of the FSSAI’s order on its business operations, financial position, or financial performance is limited only to the food products that have been objected to by the regulator.

According to FSSAI, the prohibition has been placed over the sales of food products carrying misleading “100%” claims, including (Honey, Apple Cider Vinegar, Virgin Coconut Oil, Sesame Oil, Cow Ghee, Coconut Water, Coconut Milk and other such products), the regulatory body notification said.

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FSSAI has also directed Dabur ‌to ⁠submit an ‘Action Taken Report’ within 15 days.  The company has not responded to the allegations at this time.

Why has FSSAI come down against Dabur?

The consumer goods giant is facing strict regulatory action over ‘ambiguous and unverifiable’ product labelling. The FSSAI said multiple products sold on the Dabur website had been carrying these misleading claims. 

“Food products being sold on the company’s website were found carrying misleading 100% claims such as ‘100% Natural’, ‘100% Pure’, ‘100% Purity Guaranteed’, ‘100% Organic’ and ‘100% Tender Coconut Water’. The use of the 100% claims are in contravention of the FSS (Advertising & Claims) Regulations, 2018, as they are ambiguous, unverifiable and likely to mislead consumers,” the regulatory body said.

FSSAI also noted that several products were “displaying the Jaivik Bharat Logo without valid FSSAI organic endorsement” — flagging Dabur Himalayan Organic Apple Cider Vinegar and Dabur Organic Honey for violating the FSS Organic Foods Regulations of 2017. 

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“Dabur Homemade Coconut Milk was marketed with the claim ‘100% Purity’. Such a claim is not permissible for compound foods under the FSS (Advertising & Claims) Regulations, 2018. Despite an earlier notice directing discontinuation of misleading “100%” claims, no satisfactory corrective action was taken,” FSSAI added.

FSSAI vs Dabur

The food safety body has also flagged a similar issue with Dabur last year — contending that its ‘100% Fruit Juice’ claim was misleading. The matter subsequently reached the Delhi High Court in March 2025 after Dabur contested the ban. The company claimed that the FSSAI directive was legally unsound and stemmed from a misunderstanding of the existing regulations.

According to an IANS report from May 2025, the regulatory body had noted in its writ petition that a ‘100%’ tag “constitutes a numerical quantification rather than a qualitative descriptor”.

“It is respectfully submitted that any Food Business Operator who seeks to label, advertise, or market fruit juice products using the expression ‘100 per cent’ does so in the absence of any statutory authorisation and in clear violation of the regulatory framework prescribed under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the rules and regulations made thereunder,” the petition added.

Over 40,000 food samples flagged in 2025-26: Govt

The Central government told Parliament in late July that more than 40,000 food samples, including beverages and caffeinated drinks, were found to be non-conforming during 2025-26. During this time, 1,918 convictions were recorded in cases related to food safety violations.

Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav informed Lok Sabha that 223,808 food samples were analysed during 2025-26 — with 40,023 samples found to be non-conforming.The government said that 31,878 civil cases were decided with penalties, while 1,918 criminal convictions were recorded

“Further, 15 notices have been issued to FBOs during FY 2026-27 for violations of the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020,” the Minister added.