By Rakesh Dubey, Bhopal
For decades, companies have used aggressive marketing and celebrity endorsements to sell nutritional products that claim to accelerate children’s growth in India. Film stars and other well-known faces have frequently lent their names to these campaigns for substantial fees. Ordinary consumers, however, often accept the promises of faster growth, stronger immunity and sharper minds made by both Indian and foreign food companies at face value. What parents actually need is scientific evidence, not attractive advertisements.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has now issued notices to Nestle India and Zydus Wellness over claims linked to infant formulas and Complan. The regulator has questioned Complan’s assertions about rapid infant growth and benefits related to concentration, memory and immunity. Nestle has been asked to substantiate claims regarding the digestibility of a special protein in its infant formula and its purported immunity-supporting benefits comparable to those of mother’s milk.
Such claims can influence parents’ buying decisions, especially when concerns about a child’s development make families more receptive to promises of superior nutrition. In one related case, a social media influencer’s online ranking of infant formula products—claiming benefits for immunity, brain development and digestion—has also come under scrutiny. Such promoters often charge heavy fees while misleading consumers.
The episode underlines the growing difficulty of regulating digital advertising. Misleading commercial promotions can sometimes create the impression that they are genuine advice. The restrictions under the Infant Milk Substitutes Act remain particularly relevant, as the law seeks to protect breastfeeding from undue commercial pressure.
The FSSAI notices should not be treated as final findings of wrongdoing. Companies must be given a fair chance to respond. At the same time, their claims must be examined strictly against reliable evidence and applicable rules. Regulators should ensure that unsupported or misleading claims are corrected promptly and that violators face appropriate action.
In India, product labels and advertisements remain the main source of information for most consumers, especially in rural areas and among those with limited education. FSSAI must therefore conduct its investigations rigorously and make the findings public. Manufacturers should also be required to prove their claims before products reach the market. Nutritional marketing should inform parents accurately, not mislead them.
