Nestle, Zydus, Abbott ads face FSSAI scrutiny over claims on children’s products

India’s food safety regulator has issued notices to Nestle India, Zydus Wellness, Abbott Healthcare and others over promotional claims involving products for infants and children that it said breached existing rules.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) flagged products including Complan, Lactogen Pro 1 Powder, NAN Excella Pro Stage 1 and infant milk substitutes as part of the action.

Nestle India has been asked to provide evidence supporting claims around digestive and immune-system benefits made for Lactogen Pro 1 Powder and NAN Excella Pro Stage 1. The company said the latest communication reiterated issues raised by the regulator on September 18 and that it had already submitted a detailed response.

Zydus Wellness, meanwhile, has been asked to provide scientific justification for promotional claims used for Complan, including the tagline “grow taller, faster. clinically proven 2X growth.” Zydus did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

The regulator has also issued notices to social media influencer Ira Fathima, Abbott Healthcare and Nestle India over an Instagram reel promoting infant milk substitutes. Abbott said it was neither involved in nor aware of the content before receiving the notice and that it does not endorse the claims made in the reel.

The scrutiny comes as India tightens oversight of the more than $100 billion packaged-food industry. Days earlier, FSSAI proposed banning the addition of sucrose and fructose to food intended for infants up to six months old, while the government has also been pushing for front-of-pack warning labels.

For advertisers and agencies, the episode puts renewed focus on substantiation in health and nutrition advertising, particularly where campaigns use clinical, developmental or functional-benefit claims. It also underlines that liability and scrutiny can extend beyond conventional brand advertising to influencer-led social content.