Misleading claims on Dabur products
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has directed Dabur India to stop selling food products carrying allegedly misleading “100%” claims. The prohibition order covers honey, apple cider vinegar, virgin coconut oil, sesame oil, cow ghee, coconut water, coconut milk and other food products carrying similar claims.
According to FSSAI, products advertised on Dabur’s website used phrases such as “100% Natural,” “100% Pure,” “100% Purity Guaranteed,” “100% Organic” and “100% Tender Coconut Water.” The regulator said these expressions are ambiguous, unverifiable and likely to create a misleading impression about a product’s purity, composition or superiority.
FSSAI said the claims violate the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018. The action follows an industry-wide advisory issued by the regulator in May 2025, asking food businesses to stop using “100%” claims on labels, packaging and promotional material.
The regulator explained that the term “100%” is not defined under the existing food regulations. Its use could therefore give consumers an unjustified impression of absolute purity or make one product appear superior to competing products.
FSSAI also found that Dabur Himalayan Organic Apple Cider Vinegar and Dabur Organic Honey displayed the Jaivik Bharat logo without a valid FSSAI organic endorsement. The regulator said this violated the Food Safety and Standards (Organic Foods) Regulations, 2017.
The Jaivik Bharat logo is used to identify certified organic food products that comply with India’s prescribed organic standards. Displaying the mark without the required endorsement could mislead consumers about a product’s certification status.
Dabur Hommade Coconut Milk was separately flagged for carrying the claim “100% Purity.” According to FSSAI, this type of absolute purity claim is not permitted for compound food products under the applicable advertising and claims regulations.
The regulator said it had previously issued a notice directing Dabur to discontinue the disputed claims. It imposed the prohibition order after finding that the company had not taken satisfactory corrective action.
Dabur has now been directed to immediately stop selling the products identified in the notice, along with any other food products carrying misleading “100%” claims. The company must also submit an Action Taken Report to FSSAI within 15 days.
The order concerns the labelling, advertising and online marketing of the affected products. It does not represent a finding that Dabur’s products are adulterated, contaminated or unsafe for consumption. Describing the action simply as a food-safety ban would therefore be inaccurate.
Dabur responds to FSSAI order
Dabur confirmed that it had received the notice and was examining the content cited by FSSAI. The company did not immediately provide a detailed response to each of the regulator’s findings.
“We have received the FSSAI notice and are in the process of checking the content mentioned in the notice on our website,” Dabur said in its initial statement.
The enforcement action forms part of FSSAI’s broader effort to prevent food businesses from using vague, absolute or unverifiable statements in advertising and labelling. Claims involving purity, natural ingredients and organic certification must comply with the relevant regulations and be supported by valid evidence.
The order could prompt other food manufacturers to review their packaging, websites and promotional campaigns. Businesses using phrases such as “100% pure,” “100% natural” or “100% organic” may face regulatory scrutiny when those claims cannot be objectively verified or are not permitted under Indian food laws.
The action forms part of FSSAI’s wider effort to prevent potentially misleading claims in food advertising and labelling. In May 2025, the regulator advised food businesses across the industry to stop using “100 per cent” claims on labels, packaging and promotional material.
