Take Bournvita off of the “health drinks” category, the government instructs online retailers

The e-commerce businesses 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 sites.

The ministry said in a notification dated April 10 that the 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, had concluded that there is no “health drink” defined under FSS Act 2006, rules and regulations submitted by FSSAI and Mondelez India Food Pvt Ltd, following its inquiry under Section 14 of CRPC Act 2005.

The NCPCR’s analysis revealed that Bournvita had sugar levels well beyond allowable limits, which coincides with the advice.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) was contacted earlier by the NCPCR to take action against firms that were marketing power supplements as “health drinks” while not adhering to safety regulations.

Notably, the regulatory agency states that it is against the law to project anything under the term “health drink” as it is not specified in the nation’s food regulations. Earlier this month, the FSSAI also gave online retailers advice not to refer to dairy- or malt-based drinks as “health drinks.”

The Bournvita scandal began when a YouTuber attacked the powder supplement in his video, claiming that it contains hazardous colorants, excessive sugar, and cocoa solids, all of which might pose major health risks to children, including cancer.