Remove ‘misleading’ ads: Child rights body directs Bournvita amid ‘high sugar’ row

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has written to the manufacturer of health drink Bournvita, Mondelez India International, asking to conduct a review and withdraw ‘misleading’ advertisements and packaging labels. The notice came amid huge row over allegations of having high sugar content in the milk supplement.

“It has been brought to the notice of the Commission that your product contains high percentage of sugar and contents/substances/mixtures/formula which may case harmful impact to the health of children,” the notice said addressing to Deepak Iyer, president of Mondelez International, India.

The child rights body also urged the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Central Consumer Protection Authority to take action against companies that fail to meet the guidelines on food safety or advertising.

The row erupted after a health influencer, in a video, criticised Bournvita alleging that the powder supplement contains high sugar, cocoa solids and cancer-causing colourant. He later took down the video after the firm issued a legal notice against him saying his claims are misleading.

A Bournvita spokesperson earlier said that the formulation of its milk supplement 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’.

However, NCPCR noted that Bournvita ‘fails to display mandatory disclosures in line with the guidelines and regulations of FSSAI and under the Consumer Protection Act’, and asked the company to respond within a week.