New Delhi — PepsiCo India has begun manufacturing new cans and bottles of its beverage brand Sting without the word “energy” on the label, moving ahead of a 90-day compliance deadline set by the country’s food safety regulator, even as competitors in the category lobby for more time.
The shift comes after the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) stopped recognizing “energy drinks” as a distinct product category, arguing that common marketing phrases such as “revitalises body and mind” mislead consumers.
A PepsiCo spokesperson said the company is working to ensure full compliance with applicable regulations. According to industry executives familiar with the matter, new Sting cans and bottles free of the word “energy” are already in production and expected to reach store shelves soon. The company is also reworking all advertising tied to the brand, including material connected to its Formula 1 sponsorship.
PepsiCo signed a five-year global sponsorship deal with Formula 1 last year, positioning Sting as the sport’s official energy drink with perks including trackside advertising visible on television, activated fan zones, and broader marketing rights. Cans of the beverage have carried the label “official energy drink of Formula One” since the deal was struck.
Not all players in the roughly ₹13,000-crore energy drinks market are moving as quickly. Companies including Red Bull, Reliance Consumer Products, Monster, and Hell have written to the government requesting an extension of the compliance deadline, which took effect July 1, according to executives familiar with the discussions.
The Indian Beverage Association, whose members include Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Reliance, has petitioned FSSAI CEO Rajit Punhani for consultation ahead of enforcement and has met with officials on behalf of member companies. One industry executive said firms have separately flagged the financial losses they stand to incur from already-printed cans and PET bottles bearing the old labeling, and are still awaiting a response on their request for more time. The association’s secretary general, Gunveena Chadha, noted in correspondence with the regulator that the underlying standards were finalized only after years of deliberation and stakeholder input.
The regulatory shift is already being felt at the retail level. A report last week found that distributors nationwide have started declining to pick up existing stock of energy drinks from manufacturers, triggering shortages of numerous brands at retail counters.
The changes come as PepsiCo India Holdings posted an 8% rise in consolidated revenue to ₹9,798 crore for calendar year 2025, with net profit climbing 4.5% to ₹905 crore. Separately, brokerage Emkay Securities noted that newer offerings like Sting Classic, sold through PepsiCo’s bottling partner Varun Beverages, are seeing stronger-than-expected demand — though the company continues to face constraints from an ongoing aluminum-can shortage.
