Dabur challenges FSSAI order banning '100%' claims in Delhi High Court

Dabur has moved the Delhi High Court against an FSSAI order directing it to stop selling food products carrying "100%" claims. The matter is likely to be heard on Friday

Consumer goods major Dabur has moved the Delhi High Court challenging a Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) order directing it to immediately stop selling food products carrying claims such as “100% Pure”, “100% Natural”, “100% Purity Guaranteed”, and “100% Organic”.

 

The petition was mentioned for urgent listing by senior advocate Sandeep Sethi before a division Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia. The Bench accepted the request and agreed to hear the matter urgently. The case is likely to be heard on Friday.

 

The challenge arises from FSSAI’s prohibition order, which held that the use of absolute “100%” claims violates the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018.

 

 

On Monday evening, FSSAI issued a prohibition order against Dabur India over the sale of its food products carrying 100 per cent claims, including honey, apple cider vinegar, virgin coconut oil, sesame oil, cow ghee, coconut water, coconut milk, and similar products.

 

The regulator also asked the company to submit an action taken report within 15 days.

 

Dabur India had also received a notice from FSSAI on April 8 over the allegedly misleading 100 per cent claim on one of its products. The regulator said in its statement that the food business operator had failed to take satisfactory corrective action.

 

In response, the company said in its exchange filing on Tuesday: “The company suitably responded by clarifying that no such claim of ‘100% Pure’ is being used on the objected product label.”

 

“As a good corporate citizen, Dabur had already initiated the transition of the product labels referred to in the FSSAI letter to new labels and advertisements without the 100% claim. Most product labels, advertisements, and website content mentioned in the aforesaid order have either already transitioned or are in the process of transition,” the company said in its statement.

 

In its exchange filing, the fast-moving consumer goods major said the notice relates only to the interpretation of the product description and does not allege or question the quality, safety, purity, or standards of the products manufactured and marketed by the company.

 

It said the impact on its business operations, financial position, or performance is limited to the objected food products.

 

According to the regulator, such claims are ambiguous, unverifiable, and likely to mislead consumers about the quality or composition of food products.

 

In recent months, the regulator has stepped up enforcement against misleading advertising and labelling by food business operators, using social media to publicise action against manufacturers and ecommerce platforms. Its latest action forms part of a broader crackdown on absolute claims that, according to FSSAI, may create an exaggerated impression of a product’s purity or quality.