Dabur India has moved the Delhi High Court against the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) over its recent order prohibiting the sale of several products carrying “100% pure” claims, becoming the fourth major company in recent weeks to challenge the food regulator’s enforcement action.
The legal challenge follows FSSAI’s directive earlier this week banning the sale of multiple Dabur products, including honey and apple cider vinegar, because their “100% pure” claims were misleading and not compliant with food labelling regulations.
Dabur joins a growing list of companies taking legal recourse against the regulator. United Spirits, Mohan Meakin, maker of the iconic Old Monk rum, and Associated Alcohols & Breweries have also approached courts to contest FSSAI orders affecting several of their products.
Industry Pushback Intensifies
The cases highlight mounting tensions between the food regulator and leading FMCG and alcoholic beverage manufacturers as FSSAI intensifies scrutiny of product labels, advertising claims and manufacturing practices.
The companies have argued that their product labels and marketing claims comply with existing Indian legal and regulatory frameworks and have sought judicial intervention against the regulator’s enforcement actions.
United Spirits, owned by Diageo India, has challenged FSSAI’s order before the Bombay High Court after the regulator prohibited the sale of McDowell’s No. 1 Rum manufactured at its Baramati facility over alleged labelling non-compliance. The company has also faced regulatory action involving Antiquity Blue and Royal Challenge whisky produced at its Madhya Pradesh distillery.
According to a regulatory filing, Diageo submitted its writ petition before the Bombay High Court on August 1, challenging FSSAI’s order issued under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Wider Enforcement Drive
The legal disputes come amid an aggressive enforcement campaign by FSSAI across multiple food and beverage categories.
Besides action against products carrying “100% pure” claims, the regulator has also targeted several alcoholic beverage brands, alleging the use of artificial flavouring in products marketed as whisky or rum instead of traditional maturation and ageing processes.
Among the brands facing regulatory action are McDowell’s No. 1, Bagpiper Deluxe Whisky, Old Cask Deluxe Rum, and selected variants of Old Monk.
FSSAI has maintained that there is no internationally recognised manufacturing practice permitting the addition of whisky or rum flavouring to products marketed as authentic whisky or rum, arguing that such practices could mislead consumers.
Regulatory Actions Face Judicial Review
The growing number of court challenges signals increasing legal scrutiny of FSSAI’s recent enforcement measures, which have affected both India’s FMCG sector and alcoholic beverages industry.
The outcome of these cases is expected to shape the interpretation of food labelling standards, advertising claims and manufacturing practices, with potential implications for how companies market products in India’s highly regulated food and beverage sector.