The e-commerce companies have received advice from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to remove all drinks, including Bournvita, from the category of “health drinks” on their platforms and portal.
“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,” the ministry stated in a notification dated April 10.
The advisory comes on the back of an investigation by the NCPCR that found the Bournvita contains sugar levels, much above 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’.
Notably, the regulatory body states that it is against the law to present anything as a “health drink” since the term is not defined in the nation’s food laws. Earlier this month, the FSSAI also gave online retailers advice not to advertise dairy or malt-based drinks as “health drinks.”
The ‘unhealthy’ nature of Bournvita was first brought to light by a YouTuber who attacked the powder supplement in his video, claiming that it contained dangerous coloring agents, too much sugar, and cocoa solids, all of which could cause cancer in young people.
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