The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a fresh advisory warning food businesses against using the term “100%” on product labels, packaging, and advertisements, stating that the claim is undefined and potentially misleading.
In the advisory dated May 28, the authority said that the term “100%” is not defined in any manner under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act of 2006. It stated that there has been a “growing trend in the use of the term” on labels and advertising platforms.
“The term is ambiguous and can misrepresent the true nature of the product,” the authority noted, urging companies to ensure accuracy and transparency in food labelling.
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This move follows FSSAI’s earlier submission before the Delhi High Court in a case where Dabur India Ltd. challenged the regulator’s ban on using “100% fruit juice” for reconstituted beverages.
In its affidavit submitted in June 2024 in response to a plea by Dabur, the food safety body maintained that expressions like “100%” give consumers a false picture regarding the product’s composition, especially as the juice is reconstituted or contains added ingredients such as water.
FSSAI has invoked two specific provisions from the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018: Sub-regulation 4(1), which states that all claims made on food labels or advertisements must be truthful, unambiguous, and not misleading and should help consumers make informed choices.
Sub-regulation 10(7): Prohibits any claim or advertisement that undermines other products or misleads consumer perception.
