Overview
- FSSAI has served formal legal notices to Red Bull, PepsiCo's Adrenaline Rush, Campa Energy Drink (Gold Boost), Sting, Hell Energy and Monster for marketing products using the descriptor "energy drink" while making functional or therapeutic claims.
- The regulator says India has not notified any specific standard for 'energy drinks' and that the Food Category System is meant only for classification, not for product naming or labelling.
- FSSAI objected to claims such as "vitalises body and mind," "enhancing focus," "boost energy levels," and "aid in general weakness," saying such assertions are not permissible under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
- The notices, disclosed publicly on FSSAI's X and Instagram accounts, follow the regulator's recent practice of giving short compliance windows for evidence or packaging changes, with media reports saying firms typically get about seven days to respond.
- The action targets a fast-growing market — valued at about $1.5 billion in 2025 and projected to rise — and reflects health and consumer-protection concerns over high caffeine and sugar formulations and marketing that may mislead vulnerable groups.