The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued notices to Lotte India, Ferns N Petals and Kubera Foods over alleged misleading claims and labelling violations on several food products.
In a post on Instagram, the food regulator said the companies have been asked to explain within seven days why action should not be initiated against them under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Lotte India was served a notice for using non-compliant pre-printed labels carrying its old company name, “Lotte India Corporation Ltd”, without prior approval. FSSAI also flagged the company’s “100 per cent vegetarian” claims on products such as Lotte Choco Pie with Rich Marshmallow, Lotte Choco Pie Real Orange and Lotte Choco Pie Choco Burst as misleading.
The regulator further noted that Lotte’s Pepero Crunchy Biscuit Sticks and Pepero Original Biscuit Sticks did not provide nutritional information in the prescribed format. It also found that Lolly Bliss Lollipop variants failed to comply with vitamin-level requirements under the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations.
Additionally, FSSAI said Fruitz Eclairs in mango, orange and strawberry flavours could mislead consumers as the products do not contain fruit. The products were also found to be missing the mandatory front-of-pack disclaimer required under advertising and claims regulations.
Kubera Foods received a notice over alleged misleading claims on its “Soft and Fresh Cream Bun Pineapple”. According to FSSAI, the product carried front-of-pack claims such as “100 per cent natural” and “No preservatives, colours & flavours”, despite the label declaring the presence of preservatives, synthetic food colour and added flavouring substances. The regulator said claims such as “pure”, “fresh” and “natural” were not in compliance with applicable regulations.
Ferns N Petals was also issued a notice over its “Roasted Almond Chocolate”. FSSAI said the product was marketed as “premium chocolate” despite containing hydrogenated vegetable fat. It also identified deficiencies in the declaration of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) and ingredient disclosures on the label.
The regulator said the notices are part of its ongoing efforts to safeguard consumer interests and ensure compliance with food labelling and advertising norms. The actions are based on both suo motu investigations and consumer complaints.
In recent weeks, FSSAI has stepped up enforcement against misleading food claims, issuing similar notices to several food business operators, including Heritage Foods, as part of a broader compliance drive.