Red Bull, Campa, Monster among beverage brands issued notices over ‘energy drink’ labels

New Delhi: India’s food safety regulator has issued notices to several leading beverage manufacturers, including Red Bull, PepsiCo India, Monster Energy, Hell Energy and Reliance Consumer Products, over the use of the term “energy drink” and what it described as deceptive marketing and branding practices.

In a post on social media platform Instagram on Wednesday, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said it has “issued notices to several beverage brands claiming to be ‘energy drinks’ for misbranding and misleading claims.”

The regulator named brands, including Red Bull Energy Drink, PepsiCo India’s Adrenaline Rush Energy Drink, Sting Energy Drink, Monster Energy, Hell-Energy Drink and Reliance’s Campa Energy Drink–Gold Boost, for using descriptors like “energy drink” across physical packaging and on various e-commerce platforms.

The action signals tighter regulatory scrutiny in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry, with authorities stepping up enforcement against branding and product claims that are not backed by India’s food safety regulations.

The regulator said the categorization used by these companies lacks official backing and that FSSAI has not notified any standard for “energy drink” or similar products.

“The Food Category System under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 or the FSS Regulations is not intended for product naming or labelling purposes,” FSSAI said.

Queries sent to PepsiCo India, Reliance and Monster Energy remained unanswered till press time, while other companies couldn’t be contacted immediately.

The food regulator also objected to functional and therapeutic claims made on these products, saying statements suggesting benefits such as increased energy, sharper focus or mental clarity are not permitted for food products under the food safety act.

“Functional or therapeutic claims, including but not limited to ‘stimulates mind, energizes body’, ‘enhancing focus’, ‘boost energy levels’, ‘aid in general weakness’, or similar conditions, are not permissible for food products under the FSS Act, 2006, and the Rules and Regulations made thereunder,” it said in the post.