Delhi High Court stays FSSAI move to cancel ITC licence over Aashirvaad ‘100%’ claims
The Delhi High Court has restrained FSSAI from cancelling ITC’s licence over label claims on Aashirvaad MP Chakki Atta, including “100% Atta” and “0% Maida”. ITC is challenging FSSAI’s advisory and notices seeking removal of the claims; the matter is listed for September 9.
What happened
Delhi High Court restrained FSSAI from cancelling ITC's licence over Aashirvaad MP Chakki Atta's '100%' label claims. ITC challenges FSSAI's advisory and
Key facts
- 100% Atta, 100% Madhya Pradesh Wheat, 0% Maida
- May 28, 2025
- August 10
- August 13
- August 28
- September 9
- 15 days
- 30 days
- Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006
- Article 14
Why this matters
The case highlights rising regulatory scrutiny of absolute food-label claims, making claims substantiation and packaging-liability diligence more important in FMCG partnerships and acquisitions.
What to watch
- Delhi High Court proceedings and any order around the September 9 listing.
- Whether the stay explicitly permits continued use of existing packaging, only prevents licence cancellation, or imposes interim claim restrictions.
- FSSAI evidence on the meaning of 'atta', 'maida', refining, additives, and consumer-deception standards.
- Any ITC label revision, retailer notice, SKU relaunch, or withdrawal of the contested claims.
- Extension of FSSAI scrutiny to other ITC foods or rival atta and staple-food brands using absolute purity/composition claims.
- FSSAI issuance of broader guidance on '100%', 'zero', 'free-from', and ingredient-composition claims.
- ITC is likely to maintain supply and existing packaging during the stay while preparing technical substantiation for ingredient composition and milling claims.
- ITC may develop contingency packaging that removes absolute language or adds qualifiers, enabling rapid national rollout if required.
- FSSAI may defend its advisory by emphasizing consumer interpretation of absolute claims rather than only literal ingredient content.
- Competing packaged-atta brands may review '100%', 'pure', 'zero', and similar absolute claims across labels and advertising.
- Modern trade and e-commerce listings may face claim-description edits if the dispute broadens into advertising or marketplace-compliance scrutiny.