The government has issued an order concerning all e-commerce companies. The order states that all e-commerce companies should remove beverages like Bournvita from their websites and platforms under the category of ‘health drinks’ or ‘energy drinks’ immediately.
Earlier, on April 2nd, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had also issued an order to e-commerce companies. It instructed them to categorize food products sold on their websites correctly. Additionally, FSSAI mentioned that it is wrong to sell any beverage under the names of health drinks or energy drinks solely to boost sales. No e-commerce company should use these terms for beverages.
NCPCR has already sent a notice regarding Bournvita
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) had sent a notice to the company manufacturing Bournvita, which is Mondelēz International India Limited, last year. The commission raised concerns about excessive sugar content in Bournvita and certain elements that are harmful to children’s health. The company was instructed to review all its misleading advertisements, packaging, and labels.
Mostly, youths are consuming energy drinks
Several energy drinks from companies like PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Hell, and Red Bull are available in the market, easily accessible in any store. Young people predominantly consume energy drinks, which pose health risks to them.