FSSAI steps up scrutiny of ‘healthy food’ claims, pressuring D2C brands to revise labels and ads
India’s food regulator has issued notices over unsubstantiated health claims, increasing compliance and substantiation demands on nutrition brands. ASCI said 85% of 158 digital ads it reviewed from January to June required modification.
What happened
FSSAI has issued notices over unsubstantiated healthy-food claims, driving label and advertising revisions at Indian D2C brands. ASCI said 85% of 158
Key facts
- 85% of 158 digital ads flagged between January and June required changes
- $761.4 million funding raised by health and nutrition brands between 2021 and July 2026
- TruNativ: $30 million funding deal
- The Whole Truth: about $51 million funding round
- Open Secret: $5.2 million raised
- India health food market: $25.8 billion in 2025, projected to reach $59.8 billion by 2034
- Projected CAGR: 9.79%
- Example pack size: 60 grams
- Example protein claim: 10 grams
Why this matters
Prioritize targets with defensible ingredient science and regulatory-ready marketing systems, while discounting valuations where growth relies on aggressive or weakly substantiated health claims.