FSSAI Issues Notices to Nestlé India and HUL Over Food Claims

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued formal notices to Nestlé India and Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL). The regulatory body flagged potentially misleading health claims, packaging inconsistencies, and marketing approvals across several prominent food and nutritional products.

The regulator has directed both FMCG giants to submit formal explanations within the stipulated timeframe to verify compliance with India’s food safety and labelling laws.

FSSAI Questions Health Claims on HUL’s Horlicks Products

FSSAI raised strict concerns regarding promotional claims on two popular HUL nutritional drinks:

• Horlicks Women’s Plus Chocolate Nutrition Drink
• Horlicks Mother’s Plus Kesar

The regulator challenged claims linked to enhanced bone strength and healthy birth weight. It also questioned the usage of the term “No Added Sugar” on packaging and marketing assets. FSSAI noted that these claims either lacked sufficient scientific backing or violated standard food labelling regulations.

Nestlé India Targeted Over Nescafé and Resource Renal Powder

Nestlé India received regulatory notices concerning two distinct product lines:

1. Nescafé Ready-to-Drink Beverages: FSSAI uncovered discrepancies between the actual product descriptions and the declared food categories on e-commerce platforms and bottle packaging.
2. Resource Renal Vanilla Flavour Powder: This specialized clinical nutritional supplement supports the dietary management of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. According to FSSAI, Nestlé marketed and distributed the product without obtaining prior regulatory approval for specialized medical food categories.

What Happens Next?

The issuance of a notice does not constitute an immediate penalty or a final verdict of guilt. Both companies have the legal right to present their explanations.

FSSAI will review the submitted responses against Indian food safety norms before deciding on subsequent regulatory actions or penalties.