New Delhi, October 18, 2026: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued notices to Nestlé India and Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) over alleged misleading product claims and regulatory non-compliance, putting the spotlight on food labelling practices and health-related advertising in India.
The notices concern HUL’s Horlicks Mother’s Plus Kesar product, Nestlé’s Nescafé ready-to-drink beverages and its Resource Renal vanilla-flavoured nutritional powder. The regulator has flagged potentially misleading health claims, inconsistencies in product descriptions and alleged violations of mandatory approval and labelling requirements.
The action forms part of wider regulatory scrutiny of food companies and the claims they make on product packaging and e-commerce platforms.
FSSAI Flags Horlicks Mother’s Plus Claims on Healthy Birth Weight
FSSAI has raised concerns over claims made for HUL’s Horlicks Mother’s Plus Kesar, a nutritional product marketed for pregnancy and lactation.
According to the regulator, the phrases “Healthy Birth Weight” on the product label and “For baby’s healthy birth weight” in an advertisement could mislead consumers. FSSAI said these claims appeared to contravene the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018.
The regulator also questioned the use of the wording “For Pregnancy and Lactation with Protein for Birth Weight and DHA for Brain Development – No Added Sugar” in the product’s name on an e-commerce platform.
The concern centres on how health and nutritional claims are presented to consumers, particularly when they suggest a direct benefit to an infant’s birth weight. Such claims must comply with applicable food advertising regulations and should not create misleading impressions about a product’s benefits.
FSSAI has directed Hindustan Unilever to submit an explanation within the stipulated period. The regulator has warned that further action may follow if the company’s response is found unsatisfactory.
Nestlé India Faces Questions Over Nescafé Ready-to-Drink Labelling
FSSAI has also issued notices concerning three Nescafé ready-to-drink beverages: Nescafé Intense Café Cappuccino, Nescafé Choco Mocha and Nescafé Chilled Latte.
The products were reportedly marketed on e-commerce platforms and manufactured by Schreiber Dynamix Dairies Private Limited and Lotus Dairy Products Private Limited.
According to the regulator, the products carried inconsistent descriptions. The front of the packaging identified them as “Flavoured Milk”, while the back described them as “Proprietary Food – Dairy Based Drink”. Online listings also referred to them as “Coffee Flavoured Milk”.
FSSAI further questioned promotional wording that described the beverages as being made with the goodness of flavoured double-toned milk, saying the claims were inconsistent with the products’ declared composition or category.
The regulator said the products fell under the standardised category of flavoured milk, making the alternative proprietary-food classification a compliance concern.
Accurate food classification is important because it helps consumers understand what they are purchasing and ensures that products are labelled according to the applicable regulatory standards.
Resource Renal Powder Under Scrutiny Over Approval Requirements
In a separate matter, FSSAI issued a notice to Nestlé India over Resource Renal vanilla-flavoured powder, intended for the dietary management of people with conservatively treated chronic kidney disease.
Products designed for specific medical or dietary needs are subject to additional regulatory requirements. According to FSSAI, the product required prior approval under the Food Safety and Standards regulations governing health supplements, nutraceuticals and foods for special dietary or medical purposes.
The regulator alleged that the necessary prior approval had not been obtained, rendering the product non-compliant with the applicable requirements.
FSSAI also flagged the absence of the prescribed vegetarian or non-vegetarian symbol on the product label, citing the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020.
Nestlé India has been directed to explain the alleged violations. The notice process allows the company to respond to the regulator’s observations before further action is considered.
What the Notices Mean for Consumers
The latest action highlights the importance of transparent food labelling, accurate product descriptions and evidence-based health claims.
Consumers increasingly rely on packaging, advertisements and online product listings to compare nutritional products, including those marketed for pregnancy, infant development and medical dietary management. Inconsistent descriptions or claims that overstate potential benefits can make informed purchasing decisions more difficult.
FSSAI’s regulations are intended to ensure that food-related claims comply with established standards and that consumers receive accurate information about products.
However, the issuance of a notice does not, by itself, establish a final violation or determine the outcome of regulatory proceedings. The companies’ responses and any subsequent decisions by the authority will be important in determining the next steps.
Conclusion
FSSAI’s notices to Nestlé India and Hindustan Unilever underscore the regulator’s continued focus on alleged misleading food claims and labelling non-compliance. With scrutiny extending from pregnancy nutrition products to ready-to-drink coffee beverages and specialised medical nutrition, the action raises broader questions about transparency and accountability in India’s packaged food industry.
The companies’ responses to the notices will help determine how the cases progress under the country’s food safety regulations.
