100% claims, 100% concerns

Even though the Delhi High Court later granted the FMCG major an interim stay, the ‘ban’ was part of a broader crackdown by the regulator on misleading product claims and labelling violations across multiple food business operators.

In June, the FSSAI issued a show-cause notice to Marico, another FMCG giant, over claims and labelling on its Saffola Total Heart Pro-Multi Source Cooking Oil. According to the FSSAI, the claim ‘Heart Pro’ used on the product may create an impression among consumers that simply consuming the oil imparts heart-health benefits, a representation the regulator appears to view as potentially misleading without adequate scientific backing displayed alongside it.

Other brands that have been pulled up for similar misleading claims in the past include Emami Healthy & Tasty, Health Aid, Troovy, The Health Factory, Healthy Master, Healthy Choice, Plan B and Neuherbs. In May last year, the FSSAI issued an industry-wide advisory asking food businesses to avoid ‘100%’ claims because the term is not defined under Indian food regulations and may mislead consumers.

“Earlier, compliance was largely about licensing, hygiene, manufacturing practices, and testing finished products,” Ashwin Bhadri, founder and CEO of Equinox Labs, an FSSAI-approved and NABL-accredited food, water and air testing laboratory, was quoted as saying in the 2025 advisory. “But today the conversation also includes labels, nutrition claims, advertisements, contaminants, and consumer communications. A food label is no longer just packaging. It’s becoming a scientific and legal document,” he added. 

Meanwhile, in a recent development, the FSSAI said several companies have taken corrective actions following notices issued to them. These include Livyor Ventures, which has now has withdrawn its misleading claim of ‘vegan’ and ‘healthy’; Honest Innovations for You and Heliostone Specialities, which have changed their misleading trademarks as per the FSSAI regulations; Rajasthan Agro and General Industries, which rolled back its misleading labelling; Iota Nanotechnology, which has also recalled claims on its bottled water labels; and Panchmurtha Industries, which has delisted its electrolyte drink product, among others.

On August 19, Amway India, Emami, Bonn Biscuits, Apis India, Juza Foods and Masterchow Foods, changed their labelling as per the FSSAI’s directions. In a more recent development, the FSSAI revoked its order for United Spirits Baramati to change their labelling for flavoured spirits after the company challenged the initial order in the Bombay High Court.

A week ago, the Supreme Court cracked down on the FSSAI for not taking action on the apex court’s earlier suggestion dated February, to enforce front of packet warning labels (FOPWL) on packaged food products, warning of high sugar, fat and sodium content. The FSSAI has been given two weeks to place a decision on FOPWLs, failing which the SC will give directions of its own. The FSSAI had reportedly expressed concerns that almost all food items, including traditional foods like namkeens and such products by small, micro and medium enterprises would then be considered unhealthy, bearing these warnings. Earlier this year, the FSSAI had reportedly proposed front of pack nutrition labelling which would display the nutritional value of the food item on the packaging.   

Enforcement push

“‘100% pure’ is a marketing absolute, not a nutritional fact,” says Vaishali Verma, chief dietician, diabetes educator and metabolic nutrition expert, Park Hospital, Gurugram. “Very few processed or packaged foods can scientifically substantiate that claim once you account for processing aids, additives, and storage requirements,” she adds. Her concern extends beyond the word “pure”. Terms such as “healthy”, “natural”, “fresh” and “no added sugar” can also create an impression that goes beyond the actual nutritional composition of a product, she adds.

As per Sandhya Pandey, general manager and chief dietician, dietetics and nutrition, Medanta Gurugram, the regulatory concern is partly rooted in the absence of a defined meaning for “100%”. “Such claims are generally difficult to justify under Indian food regulations,” she says, adding that the FSSAI’s 2025 advisory recognised the risk that the term could imply ‘absolute purity, superiority or compliance’.

A study undertaken by LabelBlind, a food labelling solutions platform, which analysed 5,058 labelling claims across 586 packaged food products available between January and June last year, found that 33.6% of claims were either non-compliant or lacked adequate substantiation under FSSAI regulations, ASCI advertising guidelines, and relevant provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

Of the total claims analysed, 21.3% were non-compliant, while 12.3% required further substantiation or brand-level verification, indicating gaps in internal compliance checks before products reach store shelves.

The development has attracted considerable attention but it is important to understand what it actually means. Divya Jain, senior dietician, CK Birla Hospitals, Jaipur, points out that consumers should not automatically interpret that the food is unsafe, adulterated or of poor quality. “Consumers should understand that words such as ‘100% pure’, ‘natural’, ‘authentic’ or ‘genuine’ do not automatically mean that a product is nutritionally superior or healthier,” Jain says, adding, “A product can meet safety standards and still contain considerable amounts of sugar, salt or fat.”  “The important question is not only whether something is ‘pure’, but what exactly is in it and how frequently it should be consumed,” says Jain.

The fine print

“‘Organic’ has a specific meaning under Indian regulations,” says Pandey. “It refers to food produced according to certified organic standards, rather than simply being ‘natural’.”

India’s organic-food framework recognises the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) and Participatory Guarantee System (PGS-India). Consumers can also use recognised certification details and the Jaivik Bharat framework to verify organic claims. “Truly organic means third-party certified under recognised frameworks, with traceability back to the farm and inputs used,” says Verma, also cautioning that “organic” does not mean “chemical-free” in an absolute sense.

Pandey says consumers often misunderstand what certification means. “Organic does not automatically mean low in sugar, low in fat or nutritionally superior,” she says. “It primarily refers to how the food is produced.” Jain makes the same distinction. “Organic is not simply another word for healthy or nutritious. An organic biscuit can still be a biscuit containing considerable sugar and fat,” she adds.

For consumers, the lesson is straightforward: organic certification relates primarily to production methods and standards; it is not a blanket guarantee of low calories, low sugar or superior nutrition.

“Pure” is an even less useful standalone health indicator. “Purity and organic certification are two different concepts,”says Jain. “Most importantly, the ingredient composition and nutritional profile should match the health claim being made.”

What should then consumers look out for? “I would advise patients to spend more time looking at the back of the package than the front,” says Jain. The ingredient list is the first place to look. Ingredients are generally listed in descending order by weight, meaning the first few ingredients can tell consumers what the product is actually made of. “If sugar, refined flour or fat appears very high on the list, that tells you something important about the product.” Pandey advises consumers to be particularly alert to different forms of sugar. “Look out for sugar aliases such as fruit concentrate, maltodextrin and dextrose, as well as refined flours.”

She also cautions against assuming that “no added sugar” means a product is low in sugar. “Consumers should check whether sweetness is coming from fruit concentrates, fruit purees or other carbohydrate ingredients, even when a product carries a ‘no added sugar’ claim,” says Pandey. The nutrition panel should then be assessed for calories, protein, free or total sugars, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and fibre. Serving size is equally important. “Sometimes a package appears low in calories only because the stated serving is much smaller than what people actually eat,” warns Jain.

Verma recommends checking the FSSAI licence number, certification marks, actual composition percentages, additives and preservatives, and the best-before date. She also believes consumers should be particularly wary of products positioned as wellness solutions. “A ‘multigrain’ snack may still be calorie-dense and best eaten in moderation, not as a free pass to snack often,”says Verma. Similarly, “a ‘cold-pressed’ oil may retain more nutrients than refined oil, but it isn’t a licence for excessive consumption.”

The danger, Jain says, is the ‘health halo’ created by packaging. A health halo is when a product description makes consumers feel that a product is healthier than it actually is and encourages larger portions or more frequent consumption.

“The biggest problem is often overconsumption,” she says. “A person may consume a juice, granola bar, multigrain snack, flavoured yoghurt or honey believing it is a healthy choice and therefore consume it more frequently or in larger portions.”

Amid all this, one should understand that very few packaged foods remain exactly as they existed in nature or remain at their ‘nutritional best’ after weeks or months of storage. “From the moment a fruit or vegetable is harvested, or milk is drawn, nutrient degradation begins,” says Verma, adding that heat-sensitive vitamins, volatile compounds and certain enzymes can degrade over time.

The bigger problem or misconception, according to Jain, is assuming that a packaged product is automatically nutritionally equivalent to the whole food. “Eating a whole fruit provides fibre and requires chewing, whereas a packaged fruit drink may contain added sugar and considerably less fibre,” she says.

Stronger scrutiny

The scrutiny is increasingly visible across categories where consumers commonly associate products with purity, naturalness or health. Honey, ghee and edible oils are prominent examples, while fruit drinks, juices, jams, multigrain snacks, dairy products, plant-based beverages and wellness foods have also attracted attention, says Verma. Her advice is to verify certification, composition and nutritional information rather than relying on marketing language. Pandey similarly urges consumers to assess the ingredient list, nutrition panel, certification and serving size.

“Marketing claims may provide information, but they should never replace evidence-based label reading,” says Pandey. Jain’s broader message is perhaps the most important: “Food labels should be treated as information, not advertising.”