Misleading claims, labelling must stop

The debate about health drinks is very old, and many claims of companies about the status of their products as health drinks have been disputed by experts and others. The recent directive from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to e-commerce platforms to remove Bournvita and similar beverages from the ‘health drink’ category has again drawn attention to the debate.

An inquiry by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has revealed that there was no official definition of a ‘health drink’ under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. No subsequent law or rules have made a definition of or laid down standards for a health drink.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has clarified that beverages based on dairy, cereals or malt should not be labelled as ‘health’ or ‘energy’ drinks. The FSSAI has asked for proper categorisation of the drinks which are widely consumed in the country. 

Questions have been raised about the nutritional claims of many of the health drinks. They make a $15 billion market and children are the main consumers, but others like sick people and convalescing mothers are, too. The sugar content of these beverages has always been a matter of concern.

Many of them contain much more than the recommended values of added sugars. This is a cause for child obesity, teen diabetes, dental problems and other health issues. The controversy has led some beverages to reduce their sugar content but that does not address the problem of marketing and labelling of products as health or energy drinks. Flavoured water-based drinks, both carbonated and non-carbonated, are referred to as energy drinks. Such labelling, supported by advertisements, gives the impression that the beverages promote health or give energy. But nutritionists find such claims misleading and even capable of doing harm. 

The companies claim that the products are labelled and the ingredients are mentioned and therefore consumers can make informed decisions. But in a market like India, few people read the labels and fewer people understand what they read. Most people go by the claims made about them and the benefits advertised in big letters or splashed on screens, sometimes endorsed by celebrities. There is a need for clear regulatory norms and practices in the area because the matter concerns the health of people. Standards are needed not only for food and drinks but also for formulations in areas like medicine and in the case of gadgets used for exercise.