FSSAI Orders Dabur to Halt Sale of Products Over '100% Natural' Claims; Shares Slip 2%

New Delhi: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed FMCG major Dabur India Limited to immediately stop selling several food products carrying what it described as misleading claims, including "100% Natural", "100% Pure", "100% Purity Guaranteed", "100% Organic" and "100% Tender Coconut Water".

According to the food regulator, such claims are ambiguous, cannot be independently verified and have the potential to mislead consumers. It said the labels violate the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018.

FSSAI also flagged alleged violations related to Dabur Himalayan Organic Apple Cider Vinegar and Dabur Organic Honey, stating that both products displayed the Jaivik Bharat logo without valid FSSAI organic endorsement, in contravention of the Food Safety and Standards (Organic Foods) Regulations, 2017.

Advertisement

In another observation, the regulator said Dabur Hommade Coconut Milk was being marketed with the claim "100% Purity", which is not permitted for compound food products under existing regulations.

The food safety authority further stated that despite an earlier notice asking the company to withdraw the disputed "100%" claims, adequate corrective action was not taken.

FSSAI has now instructed Dabur to immediately discontinue the sale of the identified products and submit an Action Taken Report (ATR) within 15 days.

Following the regulatory action, Dabur India's shares fell more than 2% during morning trade on the BSE, slipping to an intraday low of ₹414.60. The stock has touched a 52-week high of ₹576.80 and a 52-week low of ₹401.05.

The company's shares have declined by more than 20% over the past year and nearly 30% over the last five years.

With inputs from IANS