Explained: Why Bournvita Is No Longer A 'Health Drink' & Who Is The Influencer Behind Its Removal

The government has told all online shops to stop listing drinks and beverages as "healthy drinks." This is bad news for brands like Bournvita.

A report from Moneycontrol says the government's order came after the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) found that there's no official definition of a "health drink" in the law.

The government's notice mentioned an investigation by the NCPCR, which found that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and Mondelez India did not define any drinks as "health drinks" under the law.

As a result, the government has told online shops to stop listing drinks like Bournvita in the "health drinks" section.

Why Bournvita Got Removed From 'Health Drinks' Categories On Ecommerce & Who Is The Influencer Behind This | Revant Himatsingka

This decision follows the FSSAI's recent request to online shops not to categorise dairy, cereal, or malt-based drinks as "health drinks" or "energy drinks." According to the Food Safety Authority, these drinks are just flavored water-based drinks, not health drinks.

The FSSAI also warned that using incorrect terms could mislead customers, so online shops were told to remove or fix any misleading advertisements.

Himatsingka: Influencer Behind Its Removal

Until April 2023, Revant Himatsingka held a prominent finance job in the United States. However, over the past eight months, he shifted his focus to spearheading a nutrition movement. He advocated for popular health drinks and instant noodles brands to reduce sugar in their products. As a result, he faced five lawsuits from four different brands. Throughout this journey, he used his Instagram platform, boasting a follower base of 1.4 million, to educate his audience on making healthier food choices, infused with humor.

Following his MBA from The Wharton School, he continued working as a consultant to sustain himself financially. However, his passion lay in reforming the packaged food industry. In April 2023, he made the bold decision to leave his lucrative job in the US and return to Kolkata. Despite the financial sacrifice, he was driven by the belief that by raising awareness and adding value, he could also find success in India. His primary motivation was to effect positive change.

On April 1 of the previous year, he uploaded a video discussing Bournvita's high sugar content and its potential impact on children. At the time, he had a mere 1,000 followers on Instagram. The video attracted significant attention, prompting a legal notice from the brand, leading him to remove the video. However, it had already spread through WhatsApp groups and garnered attention on major TV news channels. In just a week, his followers skyrocketed to over 100,000, all thanks to that one video.

Is Cadbury Bournvita Good For You?

What Is Bournvita Case?

The Bournvita case involves controversy surrounding the branding of BournVita as a healthy drink for child growth. After facing criticism, Mondelez-owned Cadbury is in trouble again as the Ministry of Commerce advised e-commerce websites to remove beverages like Bournvita from the 'health drink' category.

Cadbury

Why did the govt issue a ¡®health drink¡¯ advisory?

The government issued the 'health drink' advisory due to concerns regarding the misuse of the term 'health drinks' on e-commerce platforms and in advertisements. This advisory was prompted by an inquiry conducted by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which found that there is no official definition of 'health drinks' under the FSS Act 2006. As a result, the government deemed it inappropriate to label beverages as 'health drinks' and instructed e-commerce companies to remove such products from the category.

As there's no legal definition of 'health drinks', it's inappropriate to label beverages as such. Therefore, e-commerce companies were instructed to remove drinks like Bournvita from the health drink category.

NCPCR's Actions Against Bournvita

Regarding the NCPCR inquiry against Bournvita, the child rights body asked Cadbury to withdraw misleading ads and packaging within a month of the controversy. This followed a complaint alleging that Bournvita falsely marketed itself as a health drink despite its high sugar content.

Bournvita's Response and Clarifications

Bournvita later clarified, rejecting claims made by an Instagram influencer. The company emphasized that each serving contains 7.5 grams of added sugar, which is less than the daily recommended limit for children. Watch Video:

What is this @DairyMilkIn ?

Cadbury helping lobby of pharma companies for more n more diabetic patients !!!

(WA received) pic.twitter.com/q6P4gQ85VV

¡ª Mayur Sejpal ?? (Modi ji ka parivar) (@mayursejpal) April 4, 2023

Reduction in Sugar Content: A Significant Change

In December, Cadbury reduced Bournvita's sugar content by nearly 15%. The original formula had 37.4 grams of added sugar per 100 grams, which was reduced to 32.2 grams. This move was hailed as a victory by influencers.

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