The Delhi High Court has granted interim relief to fast-moving consumer goods major Dabur India by staying a recent directive issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) that sought to restrict the company from using “100%” product claims. Presiding over the matter, Justice Amit Mahajan observed that the regulatory body’s August 3 prohibitory order was passed without adhering to the fundamental principles of natural justice, noting that Dabur was given neither a prior show-cause notice nor an opportunity to be heard. The FSSAI order had previously directed Dabur to immediately halt the sale of several flagship items—including honey, apple cider vinegar, virgin coconut oil, and cow ghee—carrying absolute marketing claims like “100% pure,” “100% natural,” and “100% organic”. The food safety regulator argued that such labeling phrases violated the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations of 2018 on the grounds of being ambiguous, unverifiable, and potentially misleading to consumers. Challenging the action, Dabur’s legal counsel argued that the company has successfully retailed these goods under identical labels for decades without any allegations of compromised safety or sub-standard quality, and contended that the regulator overstepped its statutory bounds. Emphasizing that Dabur had established a strong preliminary case, the High Court suspended the operation of the contentious order and listed the matter for further proceedings, offering the company temporary respite from potential supply chain and inventory disruptions.
