Brand record
Sting (PepsiCo): FSSAI record
Last checked 21 September 2026
Sting is not banned in India as of 19 Sep 2026; it must be relabelled 'Caffeinated beverage' by 29 Sep 2026, Maharashtra bars its sale within 500 m of schools, and Rajasthan issued a state prohibition on 11 Jul 2026.
- Classification
- Regulatory notice or advisory
- Decided by
- FSSAI (national); Maharashtra FDA and Rajasthan Food Safety Department (state)
- Reference
- FSSAI order 3 Jul 2026; Maharashtra FDA announcement 3 Jul 2026; Rajasthan order 11 Jul 2026
- Latest action
- 8 August 2026
- Last checked
- 21 September 2026
Sting energy drink bottle photographed in India. Photo: Sting energy drink.jpg by Gannu03 (CC BY-SA 4.0). Brand names and logos belong to their owners and are used here to identify the product this entry is about. All photo credits.
'Not enough time': India gives 90-day deadline to re-label energy drinks
Our team has checked this record against the published reports, last on 21 September 2026. The government order itself is not published online, or we have not found it yet, so we link the best public report. If you have the order, send it to us and we will link it instead.
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 Always check the linked government document for the current position, and tell us if something is out of date.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 explain what has been reported. The report above is the best source we hold.
Key facts
- National status
- On sale; relabelling as 'Caffeinated beverage' with caffeine and warning statements required by 29 Sep 2026
- Maharashtra
- Sale prohibited within 500 metres of schools (FDA minister, 3 Jul 2026)
- Rajasthan
- Named among eight brands in the 11 Jul 2026 state prohibition
- Punjab
- Energy drinks not to be sold to minors or near schools (26 Apr 2025)
- Recalls on record
- None
Sting, PepsiCo's low-priced energy drink, is covered by three separate government actions in 2025 to 2026, none of which is a national ban. FSSAI's 3 Jul 2026 order applies to the whole category: the words 'energy drink' must go, the product must be labelled 'Caffeinated beverage', caffeine must sit within 145 to 300 mg per litre and warning statements must appear. FSSAI refused to extend the 29 Sep 2026 deadline.
Maharashtra singled Sting out. On 3 Jul 2026 the state's FDA minister announced that its sale would be barred within 500 metres of schools, a zonal restriction aimed at children rather than a withdrawal from the market. Rajasthan's 11 Jul 2026 order named Sting among eight brands whose sale, storage and promotion it prohibited statewide; the list is being verified against the state notification. Punjab's 26 Apr 2025 directive bars sale to minors and near schools across the category.
There is no recall, test failure or licence suspension against PepsiCo India for Sting on record.
What this means for you
Labels are changing, not availability
The national order is about names, caffeine declarations and warnings. It does not withdraw the drink from shops outside Rajasthan.
Rajasthan is the exception
Rajasthan issued a state-level prohibition on 11 Jul 2026. If you are in Rajasthan, expect the product to be off shelves while that order stands.
Check the caffeine line
From the compliance date, the can should say 'Caffeinated beverage' and state caffeine per litre. Older-label stock may still be in circulation.
This is a record of official orders, not medical advice. Do not stop a prescribed medicine without asking your doctor or pharmacist.
Official sources and primary records
- 'Not enough time': India gives 90-day deadline to re-label energy drinksNewsFoodNavigator · 27 August 2026
- FSSAI won't ease energy drink label deadline, unnerving companiesNewsBusiness Standard · 8 August 2026
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