India's food regulator FSSAI issues notices to six energy‑drink brands

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has served notices to six beverage manufacturers for misbranding and misleading claims on products marketed as "energy drinks." The companies named are Red Bull Energy Drink, PepsiCo India’s Adrenaline Rush Energy Drink, Reliance Consumer Products’ Campa Energy Drink Gold Boost, Hell Energy, Monster Energy (backed by Coca‑Cola) and Sting Energy Drink.

FSSAI said no official standard exists for "energy drinks" under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and that the Food Category System is not intended for product naming or labelling. It objected to functional or therapeutic statements such as "vitalises body and mind," "boost energy levels," and "enhancing focus," deeming them impermissible for food products. The regulator posted the notices on Instagram as part of a wider enforcement drive against misleading food‑marketing practices and consumer‑complaint‑driven actions.

The brands have been asked to correct their labelling and marketing claims to comply with existing regulations, signalling tighter scrutiny of beverage labelling in India.