The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued an advisory urging all Food Business Operators (FBOs) to immediately discontinue the use of the term “100%” on food product labels, packaging, and promotional content. The authority has deemed this terminology as ambiguous, misleading under the current regulatory framework, and prone to misinterpretation.
In an advisory dated May 28, 2025, the FSSAI highlighted that the term “100%” is neither defined nor referenced in any manner within the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, or the rules and regulations made thereunder, specifically pointing to the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018.
Furthermore, the FSSAI emphasized that Sub-regulation 10(7) of the Advertising and Claims Regulations strictly prohibits any advertisement or claim that undermines other manufacturers or influences consumer perception in a misleading manner. Additionally, Sub-regulation 4(1) mandates that all claims must be truthful, unambiguous, meaningful, not misleading, and help consumers understand the information provided.
The FSSAI stated that the usage of the term “100%” – whether used alone or in conjunction with other descriptive words – is likely to create a false impression of absolute purity or superiority. This could potentially lead consumers to incorrectly believe that competing products in the market do not comply with the prescribed food safety standards.
Therefore, through this advisory, the FSSAI is directing all FBOs to cease the use of “100%” on their food product labels, packaging materials, and all forms of promotional content to ensure fair practices and prevent consumer deception.
