The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has defended its decision to bar consumer goods giant Dabur from selling its food products bearing labels such as “100% Pure”, saying the decision was taken after multiple regulatory communications and five improvement notices issued between 2024 and 2026.
It clarified that the provision was not limited to food that was unsafe, adulterated, spurious, or substandard, but also covered products marketed, labelled, or advertised in violation of statutory or regulatory requirements. In its affidavit, FSSAI said Section 36(3)(b) of the Food Safety and Standards Act empowered the Designated Officer to prohibit the sale of any food item that contravenes the Act, rules or regulations.
Dabur petitioned the high court after FSSAI’s designated officer of the Northern Region on August 3, issued an order prohibiting the sale of Dabur’s range of food products with immediate effect including Dabur Honey, Dabur Honey Squeezy, Dabur Sunderbans Honey, Dabur Himalayan Apple Cider Vinegar, Dabur Himalayan Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Dabur Virgin Coconut Oil, Dabur Cold Pressed Sesame Oil, Dabur Cow Ghee, Real Activ 100% Tender Coconut Water, Dabur Hommade Coconut Milk and Dabur Organic Honey; bearing the expression “1 00%” in different forms like “100% pure”, “100% natural”, etc., with “immediate effect”, on the purported ground that the same “appears to be misleading’. The FSSAI also rejected Dabur’s accusation that it was selectively targeted, stating that its scrutiny of “100%” claims was not limited to the company or any particular category of products. It said regulatory examination and enforcement action had been undertaken against several food business operators across different food categories where similar claims were found and warranted scrutiny under the applicable legal framework.
