McDonald’s in a soup for teasing veggie dishes

New Delhi, Nov 22: Food regulator FSSAI has slapped a show-cause notice on McDonald's for disparaging freshly cooked food and vegetables in its advertisements to promote fast food.

In its notice, FSSAI referred to a full-page advertisement by McDonald's in newspapers earlier this month that had said, "Stuck with Ghiya-Tori (bottle gourd-sponge gourd) Again? Make the 1+1 Combo you love".

FSSAI slapped a showcause notice on Hard Castle and Connaught Plaza Restaurant Ltd —the franchise that operates McDonald's fastfood chain in India—seeking response on why action should not be initiated against them, an FSSAI statement said.

"Aligned with the WHO advice, FSSAI has recently finalised the 'Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018'. Under these regulations, the advertisements should not undermine the importance of healthy lifestyles, and also shall not promote or portray their food and beverages as a meal replacement unless otherwise specifically permitted by FSSAI," the statement said.

Further, no advertisements or claims for articles of foods shall be made by any food business operator that undermines the products of any other manufacturer for the purpose of promoting their products or influencing consumer behaviour, it said.

McDonald's had over the last weekend carried advertisements in newspapers seeking to get traffic at its outlets by allegedly disparaging home cooked food and healthy vegetables.

"FSSAI has noted with concern incidence of irresponsible advertising by some food companies to promote sales of their own foods often considered unhealthy as substitute for healthy foods," the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said.

McDonald's has been asked to give explanation in stipulated timeframe.

Violation of FSSAI's advertisement code attracts a penalty up to Rs 10 lakh.

"Central licensing authority and FSSAI's designated officer at New Delhi and Mumbai have taken cognizance of this and issued show-cause notices for contravening the provisions of Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018 as to why further action should not be initiated against McDonald's for this," the statement said.

These regulations, which are aimed at cracking down on misleading advertisements and making brand ambassadors accountable, came into effect from July this year.

McDonald's could not be immediately reached for comments.