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All internet retailers have received orders from the government to stop promoting the drinks as “healthy drinks”. This is unfortunate for companies like Bournvita.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) found that there was no formal definition of “health drink” in the law, which is why the government issued its decree, according to a Moneycontrol article.
The NCPCR inquiry, which was referred to in the government notice, found that none of the drinks were legally defined as “health drinks” by Mondelez India or the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
As a result, the government has instructed internet retailers to delist soft drinks such as Bornvita from the “health drinks” category.
The decision comes in response to FSSAI’s previous demand that online retailers avoid labeling drinks containing dairy, cereals or malt as “health drinks” or “energy drinks”. These are not health drinks; According to the Food Safety Authority, they are only flavored water-based drinks.
Online retailers were instructed to remove or change any deceptive marketing after FSSAI warned that using inappropriate terminology could mislead buyers.
Himatsingka: Influencer Behind Its Removal
Revanth Himatsinka maintained a well-known financial position in USA till April 2023. But in the past eight months, he has turned his attention to leading a movement around nutrition. He pushed famous companies like instant noodles and health drinks to reduce sugar in their products. Thus he faced five lawsuits from four different brands. Throughout this adventure, he uses his 1.4 million-follower Instagram account to humorously teach his audience how to make better food choices.
After earning his MBA from The Wharton School, he continued working as a consultant to support himself financially. But he was determined to make a difference in the packaged food sector. He took a risk when he decided to return to Kolkata in April 2023 from his lucrative job in the United States. He was inspired by the idea that we could succeed in India by raising awareness and adding value, despite financial sacrifices. His main motivation was to bring about constructive change.
He had posted a video on April 1 last year about the sugar content in Bournevita and its possible effects on children. At this point he only had 1,000 Instagram followers. After a lot of attention, the brand sent him a legal warning, causing him to remove the video. But it had already grown in popularity on major TV news networks and in WhatsApp groups. Thanks to just one video, his followers exceeded 100,000 in just one week.
Is Cadbury Bournvita Good For You?
What Is Bournvita Case?
BournVita’s promotion as a nutritional drink for children’s development has drawn criticism in the Bournvita lawsuit. The commerce ministry has recommended e-commerce companies to remove drinks like Bournevita from the “health drink” category, which has once again landed Mondelez-owned Cadbury in hot water.
Why did the govt issue a ‘health drink’ advisory?
Concerned about misuse of the phrase “health drinks” on e-commerce platforms and in advertisements, the government issued a “health drink” advisory. The recommendation was made after the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) conducted an inquiry that found that the FSS Act of 2006 lacked an official definition of “health drinks”. As a result, the government decided that it was inappropriate to label the drinks as “health drinks” and instructed online retailers to remove the items from the category.
Labeling drinks as “health drinks” is inappropriate because there is no legal definition of the term. Hence, e-commerce businesses were asked to source drinks like Bornvita from the health drink segment.
NCPCR’s Actions Against Bournvita
Within a month of the controversy, a child rights group had requested Cadbury to remove misleading advertisements and packaging related to the NCPCR investigation against Bornvita. This was in response to a complaint that claimed Bournevita was misrepresenting itself as a health drink despite its high sugar content.
Bournvita’s Response and Clarifications
Later, Bournevita clarified the statements made by the influencer on Instagram. The business pointed out that each serving contains 7.5 grams of added sugar, which is less than the daily allowance for children.
Reduction in Sugar Content: A Significant Change
Cadbury reduced Bournevita’s sugar level by around 15% in December. The original recipe reduced the amount of added sugar per 100 grams to 32.2 grams. Influencers hailed the move as a victory.