Regulator halts sales over unverified purity labels on products

Food safety regulators in India have instructed Dabur India to cease selling several flagship food items due to unverified and deceptive labeling. The central watchdog targeted items like honey, cow ghee, virgin coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, and coconut milk that feature prominent absolute purity tags. Official evaluations revealed that phrases like "100 per cent Pure", "100 per cent Natural", and "100 per cent Organic" break established advertising guidelines under national food safety statutes.

Regulatory authorities clarified that this prohibition stems directly from promotional practices rather than product contamination or safety hazards. Back in May 2025, the government issued an industry-wide directive urging brands to drop absolute metrics from packaging, noting that current rules do not legally define absolute percentage tags. Watchdogs maintain that such phrasing creates an unfair perception of absolute superiority over competing market choices.

During recent digital monitoring, inspectors discovered specific violations involving Dabur Himalayan Organic Apple Cider Vinegar and Dabur Organic Honey. Both items displayed the official Jaivik Bharat mark without obtaining valid organic verification endorsements. Furthermore, Dabur Hommade Coconut Milk featured an unsubstantiated purity promise on its promotional channels.

This enforcement action highlights a growing global and domestic push toward strict corporate accountability in fast-moving consumer goods marketing. Similar regulatory crackdowns historically force packaged goods manufacturers to revamp marketing strategies to protect consumer trust.

Corporate representatives at Dabur acknowledged receiving the official notice and confirmed an ongoing internal review of online product listings. Authorities gave the company a strict 15-day deadline to submit an official action report confirming full compliance with the directive.