India orders baby-food brands to prove health claims as influencer marketing faces scrutiny

Nestlé India, Abbott, Mead Johnson Nutrition and Zydus Wellness have been asked to substantiate claims about digestion, immunity and child development, including those made through social media.

India’s food safety regulator has moved to tighten scrutiny of infant formula and children’s nutrition marketing, issuing show-cause notices to several major companies over claims made on packaging, in advertisements and on social media. According to recent reports, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has asked Nestlé India, Abbott, Mead Johnson Nutrition and Zydus Wellness to back up assertions about digestion, immunity and child development with scientific evidence. The action underscores growing concern that products aimed at parents and young children are being promoted with language that sounds clinical but may not be properly substantiated.

The notices focus on some of the sector’s most closely watched brands, including Nestlé’s Lactogen Pro 1 Powder and Nan Excella Pro Stage 1, as well as Zydus Wellness’s Complan. Business Standard and LiveMint reported that the regulator wants the companies to explain claims tied to whey protein digestibility and immune support, and to provide scientific proof within a specified period. The reports suggest FSSAI is no longer willing to allow marketing copy to stand in for evidence, particularly where products are sold on the promise of measurable nutritional or developmental benefits.

The crackdown also reaches beyond traditional advertising. The New Indian Express and other outlets reported that FSSAI has warned firms about the promotion of infant milk substitutes through digital channels, including Instagram reels and other influencer-led content. Daily Excelsior and Money.rediff reported that the regulator also scrutinised an Instagram post by influencer Ira Fathima, who allegedly presented a “Top 5” list of formula products while attributing benefits such as balanced nutrition and brain development to them. That approach, regulators argue, risks blurring the line between lifestyle content and marketing that should be subject to stricter rules.

The latest action comes against a backdrop of heightened judicial and regulatory attention to misleading health claims in India’s food industry. Telangana Today said the notices follow sharp remarks from the Supreme Court about deceptive advertising and the need for clearer front-of-pack warnings, reflecting broader concern that public health can be pushed aside by aggressive marketing. The practical effect, if FSSAI follows through, could be a tougher standard for every claim made about infant and children’s nutrition products, from labelling to social media promotion, with brands expected to prove first and advertise later.