India has ordered manufacturers of high-caffeine beverages marketed as “energy drinks” to stop using the description, warning that claims suggesting such beverages “vitalise body and mind” or “aid in general weakness” are misleading.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued notices earlier this month stating that there are no recognised Indian standards for products labelled as “energy drinks .”
While the regulator disclosed the notices publicly, confidential documents and sources familiar with the matter revealed that the directive went further, instructing major manufacturers, including Pepsi, Red Bull, Monster Beverage, Reliance Consumer Products and Hell Energy, to remove the term “energy drink” or any similar descriptor from product labels.
The move has sparked resistance from the beverage industry, which argues that removing the category label could undermine brands built around instant-energy marketing and hurt sales.
According to two sources familiar with the discussions, FSSAI Chief Executive Rajit Punhani rejected industry arguments during a closed-door meeting with senior executives on Friday, telling companies they were free to challenge the directive in court if they disagreed with it.
Neither the FSSAI nor Punhani responded to requests for comment. Pepsi declined to comment, while Red Bull, Monster Beverage, Reliance and Hell Energy did not respond to Reuters’ enquiries.
However, an Indian government source said the industry ultimately agreed to comply with the labelling requirement after the meeting, with the regulator granting companies 90 days to implement the changes. ▼
