Government instructs ecommerce platforms to take Bournvita and other beverages out of the health drinks category

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has directed e-commerce platforms to remove certain beverages, including Bournvita, from the health drinks category. The advisory was issued by the Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade on April 10, following concerns raised by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) regarding the misleading classification of these drinks.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) recently clarified that there are no standards for the term “health drink,” prompting the DPIIT to take action. The NCPCR conducted an inquiry under the CPCR Act of 2005 and concluded that there is no official definition of health drink under the FSS Act of 2006.

In response to these findings, the DPIIT advised all e-commerce companies and portals to remove beverages like Bournvita from the health drinks category on their platforms. The move is aimed at enhancing clarity and transparency regarding the nature and functional properties of products, allowing consumers to make informed choices without misleading information.

The FSSAI had also highlighted concerns about dairy-based beverage mix, cereal-based beverage mix, and malt-based beverage mix being sold under the guise of health drinks on e-commerce sites. The regulatory body emphasized the importance of accurately labeling products to prevent confusion among consumers. E-commerce platforms have been instructed to delink or remove such beverages from the health drinks category to align with these guidelines.