
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry in a shocking move on Saturday has asked all e-commerce websites to remove all drinks/beverages, including Bournvita, from the category of health drink on their platforms. Earlier, the FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) had asked all e-commerce players and websites to remove and not label all dairy-based or cereal-based beverages as ‘health drink’. As per the laws in the country, ‘health drink’ is not defined in the country’s food laws, and ‘energy drink’ refers specifically to flavored water-based drinks, both carbonated and non-carbonated.
‘NCPCR, a statutory body constituted under section (3) of the commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005 after its inquiry under Section 14 of CPCR Act, 2005, concluded that there is no “Health Drink defined under FSS Act 2006, Rules and regulations as submitted by FSSAl and Mondelez India Food Pvt Ltd,’ the ministry said in a notification.
FSSAI had raised concerns over misleading consumers through such practices. “This corrective action aims to enhance clarity and transparency regarding the nature and functional properties of the products, ensuring that consumers can make well-informed choices without encountering misleading information,” FSSAI said earlier this month.