Following the concerns expressed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regarding the use of “100%” claims on packaging, Dabur India revised the label for its Real Activ fruit juice line.
Last month, FSSAI told the court in an affidavit that the use of phrases like “100% Juice” or “100% Fruit Juice” is misleading, especially if the product contains added water or is made from concentrated juice. The food safety body said such claims could confuse consumers, making them believe that the juice is pure and fresh when it may not be.
In response. Dabur filed an affidavit on may stating that it had already changed the label of its Real Activ juice to say “100% No Added Sugars and Preservatives” instead of “100% Juice.”
Dabur argued that this new label follows FSSAI’s rules and clarified that adding water during the reconstitution process (to turn juice concentrate into drinkable juice) is not the same as adding water as an extra ingredient. The company cited FSSAI’s own standards for fruit juices to support this claim.
In June 2024, the FSSAI has released a notice directing all juice manufacturers to stop using the phrase “100% Fruit Juice” on their product packaging and advertisements. In response, Dabur approached the Delhi High Court requesting protection from any harsh measures that might be taken by the FSSAI regarding this issue. In its petition, Dabur claimed that the food safety rules do not clearly ban the use of “100%” in all contexts.
The case is still under review, but for now Dabur has updated its labels to align with the regulator’s guidance and avoid penalties.
