FSSAI to penalise misleading ads by food brands on social media

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has recently taken a significant step towards ensuring that food business operators comply with regulations.

The regulator has set up a dedicated advertisement monitoring committee to scrutinise claims made by food business operators. The move comes as a response to concerns about misleading claims made by food brands in their advertising campaigns.

FSSAI has stated that unsatisfactory responses to compliance requirements could attract penalties if claims are not withdrawn. These penalties could include fines up to Rs 10 lakhs and cancellation of the license in case of repeated offenses.

The committee will scrutinise claims made by food business operators (FBOs) on social media and e-commerce platforms to ensure that they comply with regulations.

The ad monitoring committee set up by FSSAI has reported 138 cases in the last 6 months. These cases include misleading claims and non-compliance by food brands. The committee's role is to ensure that claims made by food business operators are based on scientific evidence and meet stipulated criteria as per rules.

Nutrient-based claims for food products must be based on scientific evidence, and other claims must also be supported by scientific studies. Food business operators must adhere to the rules and studies when making claims related to health.

The establishment of the ad monitoring committee by FSSAI is a positive step towards ensuring that food business operators comply with regulations. This move is in line with the regulator's mandate to lay down and enforce science-based standards for food products.