FSSAI issues notices to Nestlé India, HUL over misleading products and non-compliances; What are the claims?

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued notices to Nestlé India and Hindustan Unilever (HUL) over allegations of misleading product claims and non-compliance with regulations. The regulatory body identified issues with two specific products - Horlicks Women's Plus Chocolate Nutrition Drink by HUL and Horlicks Mother's Plus Kesar by Nestlé India.

The claims made on these products were found to be misleading, including assertions that the products improve bone health, support bone strength, promote healthy muscles, and contribute to healthy birth weight in babies. Specifically, the FSSAI deemed claims such as "Nutrition for Strong Bones," "Clinically Proven to Help Improve Bone Strength in 6 Months," and "Improves Bone Health" to be non-compliant.

Furthermore, the "No Added Sugar" claim on the Horlicks products was also flagged as potentially misleading due to the presence of maltodextrin in the product. Similarly, the claim of "100 per cent RDA of Calcium, Vitamin D & K2" was found to be non-compliant with food safety requirements.

The regulator has directed HUL to respond to the notice within a specified timeframe, warning of further action if the response is unsatisfactory. Other companies, including Schreiber Dynamix Dairies Private Ltd and Lotus Dairy Products Pvt Ltd, have also been issued notices for non-compliance related to their Nescafe Ready-to-Drink products. Concerned licensing authorities and e-commerce platforms have been instructed to take necessary actions.