FSSAI Warns Influencers, Celebrities Against Unverified Food Claims
New Delhi, Aug 14 (TNT): The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has advised social media influencers and celebrities to exercise due diligence before endorsing food products and refrain from promoting unverified or misleading claims.
In an advisory on Friday, the food safety regulator urged digital creators to “verify before you amplify”, stressing that claims relating to health, nutrition and purity must be truthful, substantiated by scientific evidence and compliant with food safety regulations.
FSSAI said influencers and celebrities should verify the regulatory approvals and compliance status of food brands before entering into promotional campaigns.
It also cautioned that individuals or third parties involved in publishing misleading advertisements could be held accountable under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018.
Misleading food advertisements can attract penalties of up to Rs 10 lakh under the law, the regulator said.
The advisory comes as part of FSSAI’s efforts to curb misleading and exaggerated claims in food advertising and strengthen accountability across the food marketing ecosystem.
FSSAI has also urged consumers to report misleading food advertisements through the Food Safety Connect platform.
TNT KS
