The Food Safety and Standards (FSSAI) (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, which were implemented from 1 July, are supposed to make celebrities, who subscribe to food products, more answerable. The laws will also initiate fairness in claims made by packaged food business house.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is a statutory body established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) is a self-regulatory body that broadcasts responsible advertising. These two authorities have come together against ambiguous advertisements in the food and beverages section and have signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the same.
Minister of Information and Broadcasting said in the Lok Sabha that the regulations are the intention to establish fairness in claims & advertisement of food products and make food business answerable for such claims & advertisements.
The regulation clearly states that any person including third-party who advertises; or a part of the broadcasting of any misleading advertisement not in accordance with these regulations; would be punishable as per Section 53 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
The Section 53 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, identifies that any person who broadcasts or a party to the broadcast of an advertisement, which deceitfully describes any food or is likely to be deceptive regarding the nature, substance, quality of any food or gives erroneous guarantee, will be liable to a penalty of maximum of Rs.10 lakhs.
As per the Department of Consumer Affairs, there is no allocation in the Consumer Protection Act 1986 to summon celebrities endorsing food products.
The purchaser can make a complaint against the prejudiced business practice in a consumer forum established under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
If the complaint is endorsed, the Consumer Forum can issue an order to the opposite party ordering him to remove the Read More
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