On 21st April, 2023, The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) addressed a letter to Mondelez India’s President Deepak Iyer, urging the company to withdraw all misleading advertisements, packaging, and labels related to its product Bournvita.
The Commission stated that it received a complaint alleging that Bournvita contains a high percentage of sugar and other substances that may have harmful effects on children’s health.
The letter from the Commission stated that the labeling, packaging, display, and advertisements of Bournvita are misleading to the general public. It further noted that the labeling and packaging of the product do not provide accurate information regarding its contents, and that the product fails to display mandatory disclosures in accordance with the guidelines and regulations of the Food Safety Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Consumer Protection Act.
The Commission also pointed out that the product appears to violate regulations related to the display of preparation methods and serving size for health claims, as outlined in a notification issued by FSSAI on Food Safety Standards (Labelling and Display).
The letter read, “Prime facie has been observed that your product, seem to have bypassed the threshold with use of labels “Maltodextrin” “Liquid Glucose” which needs to be mentioned under the class title “added sugar” according to the Food Safety and Standards (Labeling and Display) Regulations 2020, Chapter 2, clause 3(a); as the contents of the above-mentioned additives are polysaccharides.”
In addition, the product lacks a disclaimer or warning that informs consumers about potential adverse effects on minors, which could constitute a breach of the Consumer Protection Act of 2019.
The Commission further stated that it has written to the Chief Executive Officer Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), and Chief Commissioner, Central Consumer Protection Authority to take necessary action.
Here’s the copy of the letter sent to Mondelez by NCPCR:
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