Dr Reddy's, Nestle, Amazon, Flipkart Get Notice Over Misleading Health Claims

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Thursday said that it has issued notices to Dr Reddy's, Nestle Health Science, Tirupati Wellness, Amazon, Flipkart and Netmeds over allegedly misleading health claims made in connection with products marketed for protein support and maintaining lean muscle mass.

In a social media post on Instagram, the food safety regulator said the companies had been asked to explain why regulatory action should not be initiated against them over the claims made for the products.

According to FSSAI, the products carried claims related to high protein content, maintenance of lean muscle mass, muscle strength, immunity support and energy metabolism. The regulator said such claims were presented on product packaging in a manner that could potentially mislead consumers about the health benefits associated with the products.

"FSSAI takes action against Dr. Reddy's and Nestle Health Science Limited, Nex International and Shreyash Retail Pvt. Ltd. for non-compliant advertising and misleading claims, sale of unsafe food, and sale of expired/rotten food products, respectively," the food regulator said.

"FSSAI remains committed to ensuring safe and wholesome food, protecting consumer interests and taking stringent action against violations of food safety requirements," it added.

The notices seek explanations from the companies on the nature of the claims as well as the manner in which they were presented to consumers. The companies will be required to respond to the regulator's concerns before any further regulatory action is considered.

The action comes amid increased scrutiny by FSSAI of the marketing and labelling of food products that carry health and nutritional benefit claims. The regulator has been emphasising that such claims should be presented accurately and should not create misleading impressions about the benefits that consumers can expect from a product.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)