INDIA cracks down on "energy drink" labels.

What happened

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has ordered major beverage brands to stop using the term "energy drink" on packaging and marketing 

Brands affected

FSSAI issued notices to:

Red Bull Energy Drink

PepsiCo India - Adrenaline Rush Energy Drink, Sting Energy Drink

Monster Energy

Reliance Consumer Products - Campa Energy Drink - Gold Boost

Hell Energy 

Why FSSAI did this

No official standard: FSSAI says there is no notified standard for "energy drinks" under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006

Misbranding: The Food Category System is only for regulatory classification, not for product naming/labeling

Misleading claims: FSSAI objected to claims like "vitalizes body and mind", "enhances focus", "boosts energy levels", "aids in general weakness". These functional/therapeutic claims are not permitted for food products . 

What FSSAI ordered

Drop the label: Companies must stop using "energy drink" or any similar descriptor

Timeline: FSSAI has given companies 90 days to comply

Meeting: At a closed-door meeting on Friday, FSSAI CEO Rajit Punhani rejected industry arguments about business impact 

Industry reaction

Companies fear removing the label will damage brands built around instant-energy claims and disrupt sales. But an Indian government source said industry agreed to comply after the discussion 

Market context

India's energy drinks market was valued at $1.5 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $2.9 billion by 2034