Red Bull, Sting, Campa Among 6 Beverage Brands Issued FSSAI Notices Over 'Energy Drink' Claims
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued notices to six beverage manufacturers, including the makers of Red Bull, Sting and Campa Energy, over alleged misbranding and misleading claims. The regulator said there is currently no officially recognised category for "energy drinks" under India's food safety regulations.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued statutory notices to six prominent beverage manufacturers, including the makers of Red Bull, Sting, and Campa Energy, over alleged misbranding and misleading promotional claims. The national food safety regulator stated that there is currently no officially notified category for "energy drinks" under Indian food safety regulations.
FSSAI Targets Unapproved Product Labeling
The regulatory action targets major players in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector. Alongside Red Bull, PepsiCo India’s Sting and Adrenaline Rush, Reliance Consumer Products’ Campa Energy Drink (Gold Boost), Hell Energy, and Coca-Cola-backed Monster Energy have all been served notices.
According to the FSSAI, these companies have been improperly utilizing the term "energy drink" as a primary descriptor on physical packaging, as well as across various e-commerce platforms. The regulator clarified that the Food Category System outlined under the FSS Regulations, 2011, is intended strictly for internal classification and analysis rather than consumer-facing product naming or labeling. FSSAI Issues Notices to Red Bull, PepsiCo India, Campa, Sting, Other Brands Over 'Energy Drink' Claims.
Regulator Rejects Functional Health Claims
A central component of the watchdog's objection involves the specific health and lifestyle benefits advertised on the beverages. The FSSAI noted that labels claiming a product "vitalizes body and mind," "enhances focus," or "boosts energy levels" violate local food safety laws.
Under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, functional or therapeutic claims are prohibited for standard food and beverage products unless explicitly permitted by specific regulatory approvals. The regulator emphasized that statements suggesting a beverage can target "general weakness" or provide heightened mental clarity lack the required scientific validation under current frameworks.
Broad Enforcement Push In Beverage Sector
This development marks an intensification of the FSSAI's ongoing scrutiny regarding how consumer goods are marketed in India. The enforcement drive follows similar regulatory actions taken over deceptive trade names, uncertified organic tags, and front-of-pack nutrition declarations. Why Has FSSAI Ordered Food Businesses To Replace Rusty Knives? Know the New Food Safety Guidelines.
FSSAI has issued notices to several beverage brands claiming to be ‘energy drinks’ for misbranding and misleading claims.#FSSAINotice #MisleadingClaims pic.twitter.com/CdbMMcf8KH
— FSSAI (@fssaiindia) July 3, 2026
The enforcement comes during a period of significant growth for the domestic beverage market. Industry data shows India's energy and performance drinks market was valued at approximately $1.5 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $2.9 billion by 2034, driven largely by rapid urbanization and a expanding youth demographic.
The affected beverage manufacturers are expected to respond to the regulatory notices within the standard compliance window to provide scientific evidence for their marketing claims or initiate corrective packaging measures.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 03, 2026 03:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
