Dabur takes FSSAI to court; fourth company to do so in recent weeks

New Delhi: Packaged goods maker Dabur India on Thursday moved the Delhi High Court against national foods regulator Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)’s order that bans the sale of many of its products with “100% pure” claims, the fourth company that has taken the regulator to court in recent weeks. United Spirits, Old Monk rum maker Mohan Meakins and Associated Alcohols & Breweries too have challenged FSSAI’s ban on sale of some of their brands in court, arguing that their product labels comply with Indian legal frameworks.

FSSAI had on Tuesday banned Dabur from selling honey, apple cider vinegar, and multiple other products with 100% pure claims.

United Spirits too has challenged the FSSAI’s order in Bombay High Court against banning the sale of its McDowell’s No 1 rum at the spirits maker’s Baramati facility over alleged non-compliance with food labelling regulations. The regulator also said United Spirits’ distillery in Madhya Pradesh had flouted norms for Antiquity Blue and Royal Challenge whisky, banning their sale.
Diageo said in an exchange filing that it had filed a writ petition before the Bombay High Court on August 1 against FSSAI’s order issued on June 29, 2026 under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

The regulator has been cracking down on multiple foods and drinks categories in recent weeks, citing that claims on labels are misleading or use unauthorised flavours in case of spirits brands. It has ordered a ban on sale of products ranging from Diageo’s McDowell’s No 1, Inbrew’s Bagpiper Deluxe whisky and Old Cask Deluxe rum, and variants of Old Monk rum, a brand owned by Mohan Meakins. According to the FSSAI order, the spirits brands in question use artificial flavouring instead of proper ageing. “There is no internationally recognised manufacturing practice whereby rum flavour is added to rum or whisky flavour is added to whisky,” the FSSAI said in a statement.