The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed e-commerce players to “promptly rectify” misclassification of certain products that are being sold as “health drinks” or “energy drinks” on their platforms. It said this corrective action is needed to ensure transparency and enable consumers to make well-informed choices.
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This direction comes after the food safety authority observed that e-commerce players are erroneously categorising certain milk, cereals and malt-based beverages as health drinks or energy drinks on their platforms.
In a statement, FSSAI said that it has observed instances of dairy-based beverage mix, cereal-based beverage mix or malt-based beverages, which are proprietary food products, being sold by e-commerce platforms under the category “health” drinks or “energy” drinks.
The Food Safety Authority said the Food Safety and Standards Act does not standardise or define the term “health drink”. “Therefore, FSSAI has advised all e-commerce FBOs to promptly rectify this misclassification by removing or de-linking such drinks or beverages from the category of ‘health drinks / energy drinks’ on their websites and place such products in the appropriate category as provided under the extant law,” an official statement added.
It also noted that the ‘energy’ drink classification is permitted to be used only on the products that adhere to the standards of this category and are licensed under Food Product Standards and Food Additives Regulations 2011 (Caffeinated Beverage).
The Authority has asked all e-commerce operators to “ensure appropriate categorisation” of food products being sold on their websites. “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,” it added.
Proprietary foods are food products that are not standardised under FSSAI regulations but use standard ingredients.