Misleading Health and Food Claims

“Immunity booster.” “100 percent natural.” “Sugar-free.” “Clinically proven.” Such claims help sell products, but many are vague, exaggerated or misleading.

Common tactics

• Health halo: a product highlights one healthy feature, such as “high protein” or “with real fruit”, while being high in sugar, salt or fat.
• Vague terms: words like “natural”, “wholesome” or “healthy” have little precise meaning.
• Miracle claims: promises to cure diseases, cause rapid weight loss or boost immunity.
• Misleading comparisons: “50 percent less sugar” than an unusually sugary version.
• Fake endorsements: celebrities or “doctors” endorsing products without evidence.

Why it works

Consumers face information asymmetry: they cannot easily test health claims themselves. Busy shoppers rely on front-of-pack messages rather than detailed nutrition labels.

Indian regulation

• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, or FSSAI, regulates food labels and claims. Its rules restrict terms like “natural”, “fresh” and “original”, and require evidence for health claims.
• The Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954 bans advertisements claiming to cure certain diseases.
• The Central Consumer Protection Authority can act against misleading advertisements and penalise endorsers.
• The Advertising Standards Council of India handles complaints about misleading ads.

In 2024, the Supreme Court criticised misleading advertisements by a well-known ayurvedic products company, emphasising that endorsers and companies share responsibility.

Front-of-pack labelling

Many countries use simple front-of-pack warnings, such as black octagons in Chile for products high in sugar, salt or fat. Studies in Chile found reduced purchases of labelled products. India has debated similar labels.

Protecting yourself

• Read the ingredients list and nutrition panel, not just the front of the pack.
• Be sceptical of miracle claims.
• Report misleading ads to ASCI or consumer authorities.