Delhi HC stays FSSAI ban on Dabur selling food products with ‘100 percent’ claims

The Delhi High Court on Friday (August 7, 2026) stayed a Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) order that barred Dabur India from selling a range of food products — including honey, cow ghee, and edible oils — carrying claims that they are “100 per cent” pure, natural, or organic, among others.

Granting interim relief, Justice Amit Mahajan observed that Dabur had been marketing these products for decades and had established a prima facie case. The court noted that the regulator’s prohibitory order appeared to have been issued without first providing the company an opportunity to be heard.

The order comes as the food regulator steps up scrutiny of marketing and labelling practices in categories including alcoholic beverages and high-caffeine drinks. “The court is prima facie of the opinion that the prohibitory order ought not to have been passed without giving an opportunity of hearing. Till the next date of hearing, the impugned order is stayed,” the court said, listing the case for hearing on August 24.

‘No emergency situation’

Dabur’s counsel contended that the FSSAI’s action violated the principles of natural justice as it was taken without issuing a show-cause notice or granting the company a hearing. The counsel further argued that the regulator lacked the statutory authority to prohibit the sale of food products and that there was no emergency warranting such an order.

The Centre’s counsel defended the regulator’s decision, submitting that Dabur had previously received improvement notices and advisories. He maintained that the company’s use of “100 per cent” claims on its food products was misleading.

The court remarked, “They have been selling it for decades. Now suddenly you can’t.”

Misleading claims

Earlier this week, FSSAI issued an order directing Dabur to withdraw products carrying ‘misleading 100% claims’. The regulator issued a notice to the company to withdraw such products from the market with immediate effect and report the action taken within 15 days. The order is against the company’s food products, including honey, apple cider vinegar, virgin coconut oil, sesame oil, cow ghee, coconut water, and coconut milk.

“Food products being sold on the company’s website were found carrying misleading ‘100%’ claims, such as ‘100% Natural’, ‘100% Pure’, ‘100% Purity Guaranteed’, ‘100% Organic’, and ‘100% Tender’.

Dabur, in its plea, said that the ‘100%’ expression is used by many other major players as well, across several categories of food products. It argued that FSSAI ought not to have publicly published the order as it has painted a “negative image” of the Dabur brand.