India’s food regulator has stepped up its action against potentially misleading product claims in the beverage category, issuing notices to six leading companies marketing products under the “energy drink” segment.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has served notices to Red Bull Energy Drink, PepsiCo India’s Adrenaline Rush Energy Drink, Reliance Consumer Products’ Campa Energy Drink – Gold Boost, Sting Energy Drink, Hell Energy and Coca-Cola-backed Monster Energy over alleged issues related to misbranding and misleading claims.
The development signals increased regulatory scrutiny of product positioning and marketing practices in the fast-growing functional beverage space, where energy-focused products have seen rising demand among younger consumers and urban markets.
According to FSSAI, several brands were found using descriptors such as “energy drink” on product labels and branding despite the absence of a specific notified standard for such products under current food regulations. The regulator clarified that the Food Category System under FSS regulations is designed for classification purposes and not intended to be used as a product naming mechanism.
The authority also reiterated that food products are not permitted to carry therapeutic or functional claims that could potentially mislead consumers. Statements such as “vitalizes body and mind,” “enhances focus,” “boosts energy levels,” or “helps in general weakness” fall outside permissible claim frameworks under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and related regulations.
The action comes amid a broader regulatory push to strengthen transparency in food communication and marketing. Over the past few months, FSSAI has increased action against food business operators over alleged violations linked to misleading advertisements, unsupported claims and branding practices.
The regulator has also increasingly used social media platforms to publicly communicate enforcement actions and raise consumer awareness on food safety matters.