In response to a request from the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Hindustan Unilever has renamed its ‘health food drinks’ as ‘functional nutritional drinks’ (FND). The directive required e-commerce websites to remove drinks and beverages from the ‘healthy drinks’ category on their respective platforms.
The category is under-penetrated and presents a significant growth opportunity, according to Hindustan Unilever. The company plans to focus on increasing customers, expanding usage, and providing additional benefits to consumers in the FND category. Hindustan Unilever is also experiencing stronger growth in its premium range, which focuses on diabetes and women’s health.
Previously, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights expressed concern that there was no definition for ‘health drinks’ under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. Consequently, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) instructed e-commerce websites to avoid categorizing dairy, cereal, or malt-based beverages as ‘health drinks’ or ‘energy drinks’ due to the potential for misleading consumers.
