Key Takeaways:
- FSSAI initiated penal action against Amazon, Swiggy Instamart, BigBasket, Flipkart, and Zepto.
- The crackdown targets misleading claims, misbranding, and listing prohibited or poisonous foods.
- Misleading product listings included Happilo Date Bites and selected Milky Mist items.
FSSAI action against e-commerce platforms has resulted in penal proceedings against five major online grocery and shopping platforms over food safety violations, including misleading claims and prohibited products.
Fssai names five platforms in regulatory action
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) named Amazon, Swiggy Instamart, BigBasket, Flipkart India and Zepto in its enforcement action. The regulator cited various food safety and regulatory non-compliances under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and applicable regulations.
In a post on its official social media account, FSSAI described the action as a “major crackdown on e-commerce platforms.” The agency said the violations included misbranding, misleading claims and the sale and display of prohibited or poisonous food articles through online platforms.
Misleading product claims trigger enforcement
The action includes misleading claims linked to Happilo Premium Date Bites – Zesty Orange, according to a Press Trust of India report cited by Hindustan Times.
The FSSAI action against e-commerce platforms also covers misleading claims associated with certain food products listed online.
FSSAI also initiated action against Swiggy Instamart and BigBasket over misleading claims and non-compliant product information related to selected dairy products from Milky Mist. The products identified include Milky Mist Fresh Low Fat Cream, Milky Mist Farm Fresh Curd and Milky Mist Greek Yoghurt.
The enforcement measures highlight regulatory scrutiny of how food products appear on e-commerce platforms, including product descriptions and claims presented to consumers.
Regulator expands food safety crackdown
FSSAI has increased enforcement activity against food business operators and e-commerce companies over the past six months, according to the report. The latest action comes as online grocery and delivery platforms continue to serve consumers through digital marketplaces.
The regulator’s stated grounds include violations involving product claims and the sale of restricted food articles. Its action is based on the FSS Act, 2006, and relevant FSSAI regulations, although the report does not provide details of the penalties imposed on each platform or the specific procedural stage of every case.
The latest FSSAI action against e-commerce platforms underscores the regulator’s continuing focus on food safety compliance across India’s rapidly expanding digital food marketplace.
The development follows separate legal action involving Nestle India, which FSSAI announced days earlier. The regulator said a follow-up formula sample manufactured by the company failed to meet the required biotin quality standard during laboratory testing.
FSSAI also said two infant nutrition products were promoted in violation of applicable rules and filed three separate adjudication cases against Nestle India. Nestle said its products were “fully compliant with all the applicable regulations” and that it would continue working with FSSAI on the issue.
The regulator’s action against e-commerce platforms and food manufacturers reflects its continuing enforcement of food safety requirements across the food supply chain.
