The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has asked all e-commerce companies to remove all beverages, including Bournvita, from the category of 'health drinks' from their websites and platforms.
The ministry said in a notification - An investigation by a legal body of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights found that 'health drink is not defined.'
Earlier on April 2, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had asked all e-commerce companies to put the food products sold on their websites in the appropriate category. The authority had also asked not to misuse words like health drink and energy drink to increase the sales of any beverage.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) had sent a notice to Bournvita manufacturing company Mondelez International India Limited last year. It was said in it that there are complaints of high amount of sugar in this product. There are some elements which can harm the health of children. Therefore, the company should review all the misleading advertisements, packaging and labels of its products and withdraw them.
According to a market study in the media report, the current market size of Indian energy drinks and sports drinks is $ 4.7 billion, which is expected to grow with a CAGR growth of 5.71% by 2028.
