FSSAI warns against using 100% on labels, packages

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a strong advisory cautioning food businesses against using the term "100%" on packaging, labels, and advertisements, calling it potentially misleading and legally non-compliant.

FSSAI announced on Thursday that the use of "100%" has seen a noticeable rise across food products in the market. However, this expression is not defined under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, Rules, or Regulations, and its usage can give consumers a false impression of absolute purity, quality, or superiority.

The regulator explained that using terms like "100%" or similar absolute claims can mislead consumers into believing that other comparable products are of lesser quality or non-compliant with food safety standards. Such language, though appealing in marketing, does not align with the statutory requirements of the FSSAI regulations. The advisory warns that using "100%" may amount to false advertising unless the term is specifically defined and backed by evidence under existing laws.

FSSAI has invoked two specific provisions from the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018: Sub-regulation 4(1), which states that all claims made on food labels or advertisements must be truthful, unambiguous, not misleading, and should help consumers make informed choices. Sub-regulation 10(7): Prohibits any claim or advertisement that undermines other products or misleads consumer perception.

The advisory follows FSSAI's earlier stand before the Delhi High Court, where it stated that describing fruit juices as “100% fruit juice” is not legally permissible and constitutes a misleading marketing practice.