NEW DELHI: If a food label says “100% pure”, “100% natural” or “100% purity guaranteed”, consumers may still need to read it with caution. In one of its strongest actions against misleading food labels, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has ordered Dabur India to stop selling a range of products carrying such claims, saying they violated food labelling regulations and could mislead buyers.The order covers products that include organic honey, apple cider vinegar, virgin coconut oil, sesame oil, cow ghee, coconut water and coconut milk, marketed with claims such as “100% juice”, “100% purity” and “100% original”.According to FSSAI, the company had made unauthorised organic claims, creating an impression of regulatory endorsement.The regulator also found that some claims on the labels were not permitted under Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018.FSSAI has directed the company to immediately stop the sale of the identified products, recall products already in the market within 15 days and submit a compliance report.In a statement, Dabur said it believes the declarations on its product labels comply with the prevailing legal and regulatory framework and are consistent with long-standing industry practices. It said it stands by the purity and quality of its products and has never made misleading claims.
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Dabur said that it had begun removing the “100%” claims from product labels, advertisements and its website, in keeping with FSSAI’s observations, adding that many products have already been updated while others are in the process of transition.It said that it is responding to the regulator, and will continue to engage constructively to resolve the matter.