Brand record
Bournvita (Mondelez): FSSAI record
Last checked 3 November 2026
Bournvita is not banned in India as of 3 Nov 2026; in April 2024 the Ministry of Commerce and FSSAI told e-commerce platforms to stop listing it and similar products under 'health drinks', a category with no definition under the FSS Act.
- Classification
- Regulatory notice or advisory
- Decided by
- Ministry of Commerce and Industry; FSSAI; NCPCR
- Reference
- FSSAI advisory to e-commerce FBOs, RCD-15001/12/2023-Regulatory-FSSAI-Part(1), dated March 2024, issued 2 Apr 2024 (names no brand)
- Evidence
- Government document
- Latest action
- 10 April 2024
- Last checked
- 3 November 2026
Photo: Antiguan honey products at an exhibition in Saint Lucia.jpg by Government of Antigua and Barbuda (Public domain). All photo credits.
Advisory to all E-Commerce FBOs on categorisation of food products ('Health Drink'/'Energy Drink'), File No. RCD-15001/12/2023-Regulatory-FSSAI-Part(1)
Scope. A record here does not by itself mean a product or company is unsafe or banned today. Regulatory actions can apply to one batch, one formulation, one period or one state. Always check the linked government document for the current position, and tell us if something is out of date. How we label records.
Below: Blacklisted's explanationWe organise and explain what the document says. The document above is the authority.
Key facts
- Trigger
- NCPCR inquiry into Bournvita's sugar content and marketing
- FSSAI advisory (2 Apr 2024)
- E-commerce operators to categorise products correctly; 'health drink' and 'energy drink' not defined categories
- MoC advisory (10 Apr 2024)
- Platforms told to remove Bournvita and similar beverages from the 'health drinks' category
- Product status
- On sale; formulation and labelling unaffected by the advisory
- Recalls on record
- None (Mondelez India)
Bournvita became a test case for the phrase 'health drink' in 2024. After public criticism of the product's sugar content, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights examined the matter and referred it onward. On 2 Apr 2024 FSSAI wrote to e-commerce food business operators asking them to categorise products correctly, noting that 'health drink' and 'energy drink' are not defined anywhere in the Food Safety and Standards Act or its regulations. On 10 Apr 2024 the Ministry of Commerce and Industry advised platforms to remove Bournvita and similar beverages from the 'health drinks' category.
That is the whole of the regulatory action. Bournvita was not banned, recalled or reformulated by order, and its labelling was not the subject of a prohibition. Hindustan Unilever voluntarily renamed its Horlicks and Boost category the same month.
Mondelez India, which also sells Cadbury Dairy Milk, has no recall on record for 2024 to 2026. Viral posts claiming Cadbury or Bournvita are 'banned in India' have no regulatory basis in the sources held here.
What this means for you
A shelf label changed, not the product
The advisories told online stores which category to list the drink under. Nothing was withdrawn from sale.
'Health drink' is not a legal term
The FSS Act defines proprietary foods and nutraceuticals but not 'health drink', which is why regulators objected to the label.
This is a record of official orders, not medical advice. Do not stop a prescribed medicine without asking your doctor or pharmacist.
Common questions
What did the government tell sellers to change about Bournvita?
On 10 Apr 2024 the Ministry of Commerce told e-commerce platforms to remove Bournvita and similar drinks from the 'health drinks' category. The product was not withdrawn.
Has Bournvita been recalled?
No. No recall of Bournvita or any Mondelez India product is on record for 2024 to 2026.
Sources
Government documents
- Advisory to all E-Commerce FBOs on categorisation of food products ('Health Drink'/'Energy Drink'), File No. RCD-15001/12/2023-Regulatory-FSSAI-Part(1)RegulatorFood Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) · 2 April 2024
News reports
- Remove Bournvita from 'health drinks' category, govt tells e-commerce sitesNewsBusiness Standard · 13 April 2024
- FSSAI asks all e-commerce food business operators to ensure appropriate categorisation of food products sold on their websitesNewsAll India Radio