Mondelez India withdraws health claims after FSSAI notice

MUMBAI: The claims have been taken off the menu. Mondelez India Foods, the company behind Cadbury in India, has withdrawn certain health and nutrient-comparison claims and related advertisements from e-commerce platforms after receiving a notice from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

According to FSSAI’s latest corrective-action update, Mondelez India was flagged over misleading health claims and nutrient comparative claims. The company subsequently removed the claims and advertisements from online marketplaces and took corrective measures to align with the regulator’s requirements.

The action comes as FSSAI intensifies its scrutiny of the language food and beverage companies use to market their products. The regulator has issued more than 150 notices in recent months over misleading advertisements, false claims and labelling non-compliance.

Mondelez is among the prominent companies caught up in the enforcement exercise, alongside Nestlé India, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola India, Danone India and Ferrero India, as well as several energy-drink makers.

The latest action also highlights how the regulatory lens is moving beyond physical packaging. Product pages on e-commerce platforms can be just as influential in shaping purchase decisions, with descriptions, nutritional information and health-related benefits often appearing alongside the product itself.

FSSAI has said companies named in its corrective-action updates have taken measures including withdrawing claims, changing packaging and removing advertisements or products from sale channels, where required.

For Mondelez, the development comes as it continues to expand its portfolio and marketing activity in India. Its Cadbury brands remain a major part of its consumer business, while the company has also been pushing newer products and campaigns, including Cadbury and Bournvita initiatives and the launch of Côte d’Or in India.

The scrutiny comes amid a wider regulatory push against claims that could give consumers a misleading impression about food products. Earlier this month, FSSAI also flagged companies over claims including “100%” and other product descriptions, prompting some businesses to modify labels and advertisements.

The issue is increasingly spilling beyond advertising and into the courts. On August 25, the Delhi High Court directed FSSAI not to cancel ITC’s licence for its Aashirvaad M.P. Chakki Atta for now, in a separate dispute over its “100% Atta, 0% Maida” claims.

For food brands, the message is becoming harder to miss: when a product claim goes online, it is still very much on the regulator’s radar.