Regulator questions bone-health and pregnancy-related claims on Horlicks products, labelling of Nescafé ready-to-drink beverages and approval status of a specialised nutritional powder
NEW DELHI: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued notices to Nestlé India, Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) and other food businesses over alleged misleading claims and regulatory non-compliance involving several packaged food products.
The notices cover health and nutrition claims on Horlicks products, inconsistent labelling and online descriptions of Nescafé ready-to-drink beverages, and the regulatory approval status of a specialised nutritional powder intended for people with chronic kidney disease.
According to FSSAI, the notices seek explanations and responses from the companies concerned under applicable food safety and advertising regulations.
HUL faces scrutiny over Horlicks Women’s Plus claims
FSSAI has issued a notice to HUL concerning Horlicks Women’s Plus Chocolate Nutrition Drink, 400 g.
The regulator questioned several claims appearing on the product, including:
- “Nutrition for Strong Bones”
- “Clinically Proven to Help Improve Bone Strength in 6 Months”
- “Improves Bone Health”
According to FSSAI, these claims were found to be misleading or non-compliant with applicable regulations.
The authority also flagged the use of the expression “healthy Muscles”, stating that it contravened provisions governing the use of the term “healthy” in food claims.
Another issue concerned the product’s “No Added Sugar” claim. FSSAI considered the statement misleading in view of the presence of maltodextrin in the formulation.
The regulator also questioned the declaration of “100 per cent RDA of Calcium, Vitamin D & K2”, citing non-compliance with applicable food safety requirements.
HUL has been directed to respond within the stipulated period. FSSAI has also requested the concerned licensing authorities and e-commerce platforms to take appropriate action.
Horlicks Mother’s Plus claims also questioned
In a separate matter, FSSAI issued a notice to HUL concerning Horlicks Mother’s Plus Kesar, 400 g BIB.
The regulator questioned the claim “Healthy Birth Weight” on the product label and the advertising statement “For baby’s healthy birth weight”.
According to FSSAI, the claims were potentially misleading and appeared to contravene the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018.
The authority also flagged descriptions on an e-commerce platform that included the expressions “For Pregnancy and Lactation with Protein for Birth Weight and DHA for Brain Development – No Added Sugar”.
HUL has been asked to show cause and submit its response within the prescribed period. FSSAI stated that further action could follow if the response is unsatisfactory.
Nescafé ready-to-drink beverages face labelling scrutiny
FSSAI has also issued notices to Nestlé India, Schreiber Dynamix Dairies Private Limited and Lotus Dairy Products Private Limited concerning the labelling and online descriptions of Nescafé ready-to-drink beverages.
The products identified in the notice include:
- Nescafé Intense Café Cappuccino
- Nescafé Choco Mocha
- Nescafé Chilled Latte
According to the regulator, Nestlé India marketed and offered the products for sale through e-commerce platforms, while the beverages were manufactured by Schreiber Dynamix Dairies and Lotus Dairy Products.
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FSSAI identified inconsistencies between the front and back labels. The front of the packaging reportedly described the products as “Flavoured Milk”, while the back declared them as “Proprietary Food – Dairy Based Drink”.
The e-commerce listings also described the products as “Coffee Flavoured Milk”, creating further inconsistency between the product labels and online advertising.
The regulator additionally questioned descriptions such as “crafted with the goodness of flavoured double toned milk”, stating that they were not consistent with the declared composition or category of the products.
FSSAI said the classification of the products as proprietary food was incorrect and sought explanations from the companies concerned.
Specialised nutritional powder flagged over prior approval
In another matter, FSSAI issued a notice to Nestlé India concerning Nestlé Resource Renal Vanilla Flavour Powder.
The product is intended for the dietary management of individuals with conservatively treated chronic kidney disease, placing it within a specialised category of foods for specific dietary or medical purposes.
According to FSSAI, prior approval from the food authority was required under the applicable provisions of the Food Safety and Standards (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, and Prebiotic and Probiotic Food) Regulations, 2022.
The regulator stated that Nestlé India had not obtained the required approval, rendering the product non-compliant with the applicable requirements.
Regulatory scrutiny focuses on claims, labels and approvals
The notices cover three key areas of food regulation: substantiation of health and nutrition claims, consistency between packaging and online product descriptions, and compliance with approval requirements for specialised nutritional products.
For food businesses, the cases highlight the importance of ensuring that advertising claims are supported by appropriate evidence, product categories and descriptions accurately reflect the product, and regulatory approvals are secured where required.
The notices are regulatory proceedings, not final adjudications. The companies concerned have been asked to respond, and the next steps will depend on their explanations and the regulator’s assessment.
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