India's Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed penalties of ₹1,00,000 each on Storia Foods and Beverages Private Limited and Mrs. Bectors Food Specialities Limited for misleading advertisements involving the use of “100%” claims on food products. The Authority has also directed both companies to immediately discontinue the disputed claims from product packaging, company websites, and digital marketing platforms. The CCPA emphasized that the expression “100%” is an absolute and precise numerical claim that must accurately reflect the actual composition of a product and cannot be used loosely as a marketing statement.
The Authority found that Storia’s “100% Tender Coconut Water” claim could mislead consumers into believing the product consisted entirely of natural tender coconut water. However, the ingredient declaration indicated that the product was manufactured using coconut water concentrate reconstituted with water. The Authority noted that the reconstituted nature of the product was disclosed only within the ingredient list and not alongside the principal claim. The CCPA also observed that the product contained the preservative INS 202, which contradicted accompanying claims describing the product as “100% Natural Tender Coconut Water.”
The CCPA also examined promotional materials for English Oven bread products marketed by Mrs. Bectors Food Specialities Limited. The advertisements appeared across print media, product packaging, the company website, and social media platforms and included claims such as “100% Atta Bread” and “100% Whole Wheat Bread.”
The company acknowledged that the products contained approximately 87% whole wheat flour. The Authority held that a product containing 87% whole wheat flour cannot be described as “100% Atta Bread” or “100% Whole Wheat Bread,” noting that the term “100%” conveys a precise quantitative representation that leaves no room for approximation.
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