The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a formal prohibition order against Dabur India Limited, directing the company to immediately stop the sale of various food products. The regulator identified several items, including honey, cow ghee, apple cider vinegar, and coconut milk, that were being marketed with labels such as '100% Pure,' '100% Natural,' or '100% Organic.' According to the FSSAI, these absolute claims are ambiguous and unverifiable, violating the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations of 2018.
This regulatory action follows a series of notices previously sent to the company, which the FSSAI stated were not met with satisfactory corrective measures. Beyond the general '100%' labeling concerns, the regulator also flagged the unauthorized use of the 'Jaivik Bharat' organic certification logo on specific products like Dabur Himalayan Organic Apple Cider Vinegar and Dabur Organic Honey. The use of such logos without valid endorsement breaches the Food Safety and Standards (Organic Foods) Regulations of 2017.
For consumers, this development highlights the ongoing scrutiny of marketing language used on household staples. The FSSAI has mandated that Dabur submit an Action Taken Report within 15 days to confirm compliance with the order. The company must now navigate the operational challenge of re-labeling or removing these products from the market to align with national safety and advertising standards.