Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding Bournvita, the national child rights body has taken cognizance of a complaint received by it. The National Commission For Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has asked Mondelez International India, the manufacturer company of Bournvita, to review and pull back all “misleading” advertisements, packaging, and labels on its product.
In a letter to the President of Mondelez International India, the NCPCR said it received a complaint highlighting Bournvita, which is known as a health powder or health drink, containing high amounts of sugar and substances which can harm the health of children.
“The Commission in this regard observes that the product manufactured by your company is misleading the customers through its product packaging and advertisements. Further, your product’s labeling and packaging also fails to acknowledge the correct information regarding the contents used in the product — Bournvita,” the letter said.
The letter mentions that the product fails to adhere to mandatory disclosures in accordance with the guidelines and regulations of FSSAI and the Consumer Protection Act. As per the rules, the packaging should display the method of preparation and the number of portions to serve for claiming health benefits.
Also, the product shows no disclaimer or warning stating the effects of consumption of such a mixture or formula on children, which prima facie violates the Consumer Protection Act 2019.
“Therefore, the Commission requests your offices to kindly review and withdraw all misleading advertisements, packaging, and labels and further send a detailed explanation or report to apprise the Commission of the said matter within seven days from the date of issue of this letter report,” it said.
The Commission has also informed the company about the written letter it sent to the Chief Executive Officer Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Chief Commissioner of the Central Consumer Protection Authority to take necessary steps in this concern, reported The Hindu.
How the Bournvita Controversy Erupted?
Earlier in April, a social media influencer– Foodpharmer– Revant Himatsingka, raised concerns over the claimed health benefits of the powdered drink Bournvita. In the video he released on social media, he cautioned that the popular health drink contains high sugar content and its consumption can give rise to diabetes and cancer. Soon after, Mondelez slapped him with a legal notice to take down his video from social media.
He, however, deleted the video and apologized on his Instagram handle. His Twitter handle also got suspended.
Mondelez India refuted the allegations surrounding the content benefits of Bournvita and called the video “unscientific” with “distorted facts”.
A Bournvita spokesperson said, “We would again like to reinforce that the formulation has been scientifically crafted by a team of nutritionists and food scientists to offer the best of taste and health. All our claims are verified and transparent and all ingredients have regulatory approvals. All the necessary nutritional information is mentioned on the pack for consumers to make informed choices.” ( quoted NDTV)