Bournvita, which is owned by Mondelez India, is a health drink brand that is loved by many kids and adults. It has rejected claims of having high sugar content, terming a video posted by a social media influencer as “unscientific”, that “distorted facts and made false and negative inferences”.
Influencer Revant Himatsingka, after being served a legal notice by the company, deleted the video. Denying it, Bournvita said in a statement that over the last seven decades, it has earned the trust of consumers in India by being a scientifically formulated product that adheres to quality standards and complies with the laws of the land.
“We would again like to reinforce that the formulation has been scientifically crafted by a team of nutritionists and food scientists to offer the best of taste and health. All our claims are verified and transparent, and all ingredients have regulatory approvals. All the necessary nutritional information is mentioned on the pack for consumers to make informed choices,” said a Bournvita spokesperson.
Nevertheless, the video has created “panic and anxiety, and questions the trust that consumers have given to brands like Bournvita. The company continued to witness an abnormal and unusual amount of traction on the post and was therefore forced to take legal recourse to avoid misinformation.
Mondelez India has issued a statement to clarify and share the correct facts to allay the concerns of our consumers.” However, the company also clarified it had “no role in actions around the presenter’s Twitter account”.
The deleted video has racked up around 12 million views and was also shared across social media platforms. It was later shared by actor-politician Paresh Rawal and former cricketer and MP Kirti Azad. In the video, Himatsingka, who presents himself as a nutritionist and a health coach, claimed that Bournvita has sugar, cocoa solids, and a cancer-causing colourant. Yet, he deleted the video after the legal notice and posted a statement on Instagram saying: “I have decided to take down the video across all platforms after receiving a legal notice from one of India’s biggest law firms on April 13, 2023.” I apologize to Cadbury for making the video. I did not plan or intend to infringe any trademark or defame any company, nor do I have the interest or resources to participate in any court cases, and I request MNCs not take this forward legally,” he said.
In its statement, Bournvita said: “We would again like to reinforce that the formulation has been scientifically crafted by a team of nutritionists and food scientists to offer the best of taste and health.” All our claims are verified and transparent, and all ingredients have regulatory approvals.
“All the necessary nutritional information is mentioned on the pack for consumers to make informed choices,” it added.
The company said Bournvita is best consumed with a glass of 200 milliliters of hot or cold milk, as highlighted on the pack. “Every 20-gram serving of Bournvita has 7.5 grams of added sugar, which is approximately one and a half teaspoons. This is much less than the daily recommended intake limits of sugar for children,” said Mondelez India.
Moreover, over caramel colour (150 C), Bournvita said it “is within permissible limits as per guidelines defined by regulations”. “All ingredients are safe, approved for use, and within permissible limits as per the regulatory guidelines,” it said.