Now Horlicks is no more a 'health drink' 

Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL), which has multiple brands like Horlicks and Boost under it, has rebranded its 'health drinks' category. The company renamed its 'health food drinks' category as 'functional nutritional drinks' (FND) and dropped the 'health' label from Horlicks.

This move comes after the Minister of Commerce and Industry asked e-commerce platforms to remove drinks and beverages from the 'healthy drinks' category.

HUL's Chief Financial Officer Ritesh Tiwari in a a press conference emphasised that this change will provide a more accurate and transparent description of the category. The developments were made after concerns were raised about the high sugar levels in beverages like Bournvita and Horlicks.

This happened when Cadbury's Bournvita, another popular malted drink in the country like Horlicks, came under the scanner for its high sugar content, highlighted by a social media influencer called Food Pharmer.

Later, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) sent an inquiry to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which resulted in the Centre's order to e-commerce firms.