CCPA
Indian consumer watchdog slams food giants over false “100%” advertising
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of ₹1,00,000 each on M/s Storia Foods and Beverages Private Limited and Mrs. Bectors Food Specialities Limited (English Oven) for misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices involving the use of the term “100%” in relation to their food products.
According to an official statement, the authority has also directed both companies to immediately withdraw the contested claims from product packaging, official websites, and all digital platforms. The action has been taken under the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, as well as the Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements, 2022.
The CCPA reiterated that the expression “100%” is an absolute and precise claim and cannot be used loosely or as a marketing slogan. Any such representation must accurately reflect the actual composition of the product. In the absence of any statutory allowance for a qualified interpretation, such claims must be understood in their literal sense by consumers.
Action Against Storia Foods and Beverages Pvt. Ltd.
The CCPA took suo motu cognizance of advertisements for several products, including:
Storia 100% Tender Coconut Water
Storia 100% Juice – Pomegranate
Storia 100% Juice – Mixed Fruit
Storia 100% Juice – Mango
Storia 100% Juice – Guava Chilli
These products were promoted through the company’s official website (shop.storiafoods.com), product packaging, and major e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, BigBasket, Blinkit, JioMart, and Zepto.
Findings on “100% Tender Coconut Water”
The product was marketed as:
“100% Tender Coconut Water”
“100% Natural Tender Coconut Water”
However, the ingredient list revealed:
Water and coconut water concentrate (9.6%) (equivalent to 100% coconut water, reconstituted)
The CCPA observed that an average consumer would interpret “100% Tender Coconut Water” as a product made entirely from natural coconut water. In reality, the product was prepared by reconstituting coconut water concentrate with added water.
It was further noted that the term “reconstituted” appeared only in fine print within the ingredient list and was not prominently disclosed alongside the primary claim.
Additionally, the presence of a Class II preservative (INS 202) meant that the claim of “100% natural” was also misleading.
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