Remove Bournvita, other beverages from ‘Health Drinks’ category: Govt to ecomm sites
‘Health Drink’ is not defined/standardised anywhere under the FSS Act, 2006
The Centre has directed ecommerce players to ensure that certain beverages such as Bournvita are not categorised as health drinks on their platforms. This advisory was sent out by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
This comes on the heels of the Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI) clarifying that there are no standards for a “health drink”.
In its advisory issued on April 10, the DPIIT said it has come to its notice that “some of the drinks and beverages including Bournvita are categorised as ‘Health Drinks’ on ecommerce sites and platforms”.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) had brought the issue to its notice. “The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, a statutory body constituted under Section (3) of the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005, after its inquiry under Section 14 of CPCR Act, 2005, concluded that there is no ‘Health Drink’ defined under FSS Act 2006, Rules and Regulations, as submitted by FSSAI and Mondelez India Food Pvt Ltd,” the Ministry said in its notification dated April 10.
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“All ecommerce companies/portals are hereby advised to remove drink/bever
This comes on the heels of FSSAI clarifying that there are no standards for the term ‘health drink’
ages including Bournvita from the category of ‘Health Drinks’ from their sites/platforms,” said the DPIIT advisory.
Recently, FSSAI had also expressed concerns over dairybased beverage mix, cerealbased beverage mix and maltbased beverage mix being sold on ecommerce sites under categories such as ‘Health Drinks’.
“A ‘Health Drink’ is not defined/standardised anywhere under the FSS Act 2006 or rules/regulations made thereunder,” it stated.
It had also directed ecommerce platforms to “remove or delink” such beverages on their sites from the ‘Health Drinks’ category.
The FSSAI had pointed out that this will “enhance clarity and transparency regarding the nature and functional properties of the products, allowing consumers to make informed choices without any misleading information.”