New Delhi: Amid the huge row surrounding Bournvita, the national child rights body has written to the manufacturer, demanding a reply on the allegations that the chocolate-flavoured powder consumed by millions across the country contains harmful substances.
The National Commission For Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has also asked Mondelez India International, the country arm of the US snacks major, to conduct a review and withdraw misleading advertisements and labels.
The NCPCR has also written to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Central Consumer Protection Authority to take action against companies that don’t comply with guidelines on food safety or advertising.
Asking both bodies to submit a report within a week on the steps they have taken in this regard, the NCPCR flagged the absence of disclaimers in Hindi and regional languages and lack of clarity on the nutritional value of the ingredients in many of the additives labelled as “health drinks”.
Bournvita, manufactured by Mondelez International subsidiary Cadbury, recently hit headlines after a social media influencer claimed that it contains sugar, cocoa solids and a cancer-causing colorant.
In the notice to Deepak Iyer, president-India, Mondelez International, the child rights body said,” The commission in this regard observes that the product manufactured by your company is misleading the customers through it product packaging and advertisements. The commission observes that your product’s labelling, packaging, display and advertisement claims are misleading for the general public.”
The product’s labelling and packaging also fails to acknowledge the correct information regarding the contents used in the Bournvita health drink, the NCPCR said.
It asked Mondelez International to review and withdraw all “misleading advertisements, packaging and labels, and further send a detailed explanation/report to apprise the commission in the said matter within seven days”.
Responding to the viral videos, Bournvita had earlier said that over the last seven decades, it has “earned the trust of consumers in India by being a scientifically formulated product that adheres to quality standards and complies with the laws of the land”.
“We would again like to reinforce that the formulation has been scientifically crafted by a team of nutritionists and food scientists to offer the best of taste and health. All our claims are verified and transparent and all ingredients have regulatory approvals. All the necessary nutritional information is mentioned on the pack for consumers to make informed choices,” a Bournvita spokesperson had said.
