FSSAI Pulls Up Lotte India, FNP Over Misleading Labels and Ingredient Claims

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has cracked down on prominent food and gifting brands, issuing show-cause notices to Lotte India Corporation, Kubera Foods, and Ferns N Petals (FNP).

The regulator has flagged these companies for allegedly deploying misleading claims and committing severe labeling violations across several popular products. In an official statement shared on X on Wednesday, the food safety watchdog gave the companies a strict seven-day deadline to explain why legal action should not be initiated against them under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

Lotte India Flagged for Veg Claims and Non-Compliant Packaging

Lotte India Corporation Private Limited faces scrutiny over multiple products, including its flagship Choco Pie line. The regulator deemed the ‘100% vegetarian’ claim on certain Choco Pie variants as misleading. Additionally, Lotte was found using outdated pre-printed labels featuring its former company name without securing prior regulatory approval.

Other products in Lotte’s portfolio were also called out:

• PEPERO Biscuit Sticks (Crunchy and Original): Failed to display nutritional information in the legally prescribed format.
• Lolly Bliss Lollipops: Violated prescribed vitamin levels outlined under the FSS (Advertising and Claims) Regulations.
• FRUITZ Eclairs: Flagged for a deceptive name, as the product contains no actual fruit, and lacked the mandatory front-of-pack disclaimer.

Kubera Foods ‘Natural’ Bun Contained Artificial Additives

The regulator took sharp aim at Kubera Foods over its ‘Soft and Fresh Cream Bun Pineapple.’ While the front of the packaging boldly boasted claims like ‘100% Natural’ and ‘No Preservatives, Colours & Flavours,’ a quick look at the ingredient list revealed a completely different story.

The fine print disclosed the presence of:

• Preservative INS 282
• Synthetic food color INS 110
• Added flavoring substances

FSSAI noted that using terms like ‘Pure,’ ‘Fresh,’ and ‘Natural’ in this context directly violates the statutory provisions governing food advertising.


Ferns N Petals Called Out for 'Premium' Chocolate Claims

Gifting giant Ferns N Petals (FNP) was served a notice regarding its ‘Roasted Almond Chocolate.’ FSSAI found that the product was marketed as “Premium Chocolate” despite containing hydrogenated vegetable fat. Under current food safety laws, any chocolate using vegetable fat alongside cocoa butter must carry a mandatory declaration, which FNP omitted. Furthermore, the product packaging prominently featured images of almonds but failed to disclose the actual percentage of almonds in the ingredient list. The label also omitted the mandatory Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) values within its nutritional information panel.
All three companies must submit their explanations within the week. Failure to provide a satisfactory response could result in penalties or legal prosecution under the FSS Act.