Ministry orders removal of Bournvita, other beverages from 'Health Drinks' category
PTC Web Desk: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has directed all e-commerce companies to remove drinks and beverages, including Bournvita, from the category of 'health drinks' on their websites and platforms.
This decision comes after the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), a statutory body established under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005, conducted an inquiry under Section 14 of the CPCR Act. The NCPCR concluded that there is no definition of "Health Drink" under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006, or its associated rules and regulations, as verified by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and Mondelez India Food Pvt Ltd.
Following this, the FSSAI issued a notification on April 2, advising all e-commerce companies to ensure proper categorisation of food products on their websites. The notification emphasised that food products licensed under 'proprietary food'—with categories such as Dairy Based Beverage Mix, Cereal Based Beverage Mix, and Malt Based Beverage—were incorrectly listed as 'health drinks' or 'energy drinks' on e-commerce websites.
The FSSAI clarified that the term 'health drink' is neither defined nor standardised under the FSS Act, 2006, or its accompanying rules and regulations. As a result, FSSAI advised e-commerce companies to promptly rectify this misclassification by reclassifying or de-linking such drinks and beverages from the 'health drinks' or 'energy drinks' categories and placing them in the appropriate category as per existing laws.
The move is aimed at improving clarity and transparency regarding the nature and functional properties of these products, thereby enabling consumers to make well-informed choices without facing misleading information. By adhering to the correct categorisation, e-commerce companies can ensure compliance with regulatory standards and offer more accurate information to consumers.
- With inputs from agencies
