The Centre will set up a committee to scrutinise and regulate product-feature claims made in advertisements, seeking to fix accountability on manufacturers and help consumers choose food items objectively.

This is the first time the Centre has planned to directly involve itself with advertising scrutiny, through the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India. While FSSAI guidelines for advertising regulations are in place, implementation by advertisers hasn’t been followed closely.

So far, advertising regulations have been overseen through an independent entity, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI).

In accordance with the Regulations -

• Misleading ads not complying with the guidelines are to be penalised with fines up to `10 lakh. Regulations disallow food businesses to use words and phrases such as natural, fresh, original, traditional, authentic, genuine or real on food labels, except under specific conditions.
• There has to be a disclaimer when a brand name contains adjectives such as natural, fresh, pure, or original in the labelling.

Role of Committee –

• It will be a third-party agency, which will scrutinise advertising claims across the country.
• It will look at complaints and will issue notices and take appropriate action.