Centre directs e-commerce platforms to remove Bournvita from ‘health drinks’ category
Bournvita from the category of ‘health drinks’, on their portal and platforms.
“National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), a statutory body constituted under Section (3) of the Commission of Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005 after its inquiry under Section 14 of CRPC Act 2005 concluded that there is no ‘health drink’ defined under FSS Act 2006, rules and regulations submitted by FSSAI and Mondelez India Food Pvt Ltd,” said a notification from the ministry dated April 10.
The advisory follows an inquiry by the NCPCR, which revealed that Bournvita contains sugar levels exceeding the acceptable limits.
Earlier, the NCPCR had called upon the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to initiate action against the companies that failed to meet safety standards and guidelines and were projecting power supplements as ‘health drinks’.
As per the regulatory body, ‘health drink’ has not been defined in the country’s food laws and to project something under the same violates the rules.
Earlier this month, the FSSAI also directed e-commerce platforms not to label dairy-based or malt-based beverages as ‘health drinks’.
Bournvita's 'misleading' advertisements
Last year, Apex child rights body NCPCR asked Mondelez India-owned brand Bournvita to withdraw all «misleading» advertisements, packaging, and labels after a video claimed that the health drink has high sugar content.
The controversy over the potentially 'unhealthy' nature of Bournvita first arose after a YouTuber criticized the
