If you drink drinks like Pepsi Sting, Red Bull, Monster, Campa Energy or Hale Energy, you will soon not see ‘Energy Drink’ written on their bottles. The Government of India has ordered these companies to remove energy drink or similar words from their products. This decision has been taken by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
FSSAI says that no official category named energy drink has been decided yet in India. Therefore, calling a drink an energy drink on its own or claiming that it provides instant energy to the body and mind or removes weakness can mislead consumers.
Which companies will be affected?
This decision will affect big companies like Pepsi, Red Bull, Monster Beverage, Campa Energy and Hale Energy. All these companies will have to make changes in their packaging and labeling. According to the report, the companies had opposed this decision. They said that removing the word energy drink would affect their brand identity and sales. In a recent closed-door meeting, FSSAI made it clear that if companies have objections, they can approach the court. However, later according to industry sources, the companies agreed to follow the rules and were given time to change the labels within 90 days.
Why was this decision taken?
Concern is already being raised about high caffeine beverages in many countries of the world. They contain high amounts of caffeine, sugar and taurine. For this reason, England has decided to ban the sale of high caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years of age from April next year. The energy drink market in India has grown rapidly in the last few years. Especially after the launch of Pepsi Sting in 2017, its popularity increased a lot. Sting bottles, priced at just Rs 20, are especially popular among youth aged 15 to 19 years and in rural areas.
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