The Supreme Court on April 23 said the Centre should “activate itself” against Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies if they employ “misleading advertisements” about their products to target credulous consumers, especially families with babies and schoolchildren.
“The misleading advertisements of FMCGs take the public for a ride, particularly families, affecting their health. The issue concerns even the health of babies and schoolchildren,” Justice Hima Kohli, heading a Bench with Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah, observed.
The court voiced its concern amid recent reports alleging higher sugar content in Nestle’s baby food products sold in India as well as in African and Latin American countries. The Union Consumer Affairs Ministry has asked the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to investigate the allegations against the leading FMCG.
