"100% Fruit Juice" Claim By Dabur Misleading: Food Regulator To High Court
The claim made by FMCG giant Dabur that its range of fruit beverages is made "100 per cent" from fruits violates rules and regulations and is also misleading for the consumers, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has informed the Delhi High Court.
The writ petition filed by Smita Singh, Assistant Director with the FSSAI dated April 22 (a copy of which is with IANS), challenged Dabur against the "100 per cent" claim stating that the juices contain water and fruit concentrates. In addition, the term "100 per cent" is also not a recognised for food products.
"It is respectfully submitted that any Food Business Operator (FBO) who seeks to label, advertise, or market fruit juice products using the expression '100 per cent' does so in the absence of any statutory authorisation and in clear violation of the regulatory framework prescribed under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the rules and regulations made thereunder," the petition said.
"The expression 100 per cent constitutes a numerical quantification rather than a qualitative descriptor," it added.
The food regulator, had, in June 2024 issued a notification directing FBOs to remove claims such as "100 per cent fruit juices" from the label and advertisement of fruit juices.
At the time, Dabur argued that the FSSAI's directive was legally unsound and stems from a misunderstanding of the existing regulations, according to reports.
In the petition, the FSSAI also cited the views of the scientific panel on Labelling and Claims/Advertisements (SP-08) during its 47th and 49th meetings, on its three products under Real's range of fruit beverages -- Mixed Fruit Juice, Apple Juice, and Grape Juice.
"The 100 per cent claim is misleading since the ingredient list clearly indicates addition of water and the mixed fruit juice concentrate is 6.8 per cent along with the addition of natural flavouring substances," as per the meeting inputs.
"The term 100 per cent is not defined in the FSS Act 2006, Rules and regulations," it added.
The matter is reportedly pending before the Delhi HC, and the next date of hearing is July 7.
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