You thought the honey you were having every day was 100 per cent pure? Maybe not. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a prohibition order against Dabur India, stopping the sale of several products carrying "100 per cent" claims, and this move should make us take a closer look at what's on our plate.
Be it the honey in mornings or chyawanprash through winter, Dabur has been sitting in our kitchen cabinets for as long as we can remember. While this move by FSSAI may sound like a technical regulatory issue, it has real implications for all of us.
If you scan the shelves and spot two jars of honey - One boldly says "100% Pure" on the front, while the other simply says "Honey", what do you do? It is easy to assume the first one is the better choice. That is exactly the kind of buying decision FSSAI wants consumers to think twice about.
The food regulator says such labels violate food advertising regulations and could mislead consumers.
Not just honey, other Dabur products under scrutiny include honey, cow ghee, edible oils, apple cider vinegar, virgin coconut oil, sesame oil, coconut water and coconut milk, among others, marketed using phrases such as "100% Natural", "100% Pure", "100% Organic", "100% Purity Guaranteed" and "100% Tender Coconut Water".
So what does this actually mean if you're standing in the supermarket aisle?
It is important to check food labels.
Photo Credit: iStock
It's a reminder that the claim on the front of a pack isn't regulated the way most people assume it is. There's no legal definition of "100%" under Indian food law, which means brands have had reasonable room to use the term loosely. A "100% juice" label, for instance, can still mean a juice made largely from water and concentrate. The number sounds absolute, but it rarely tells the whole story.
This is not just about Dabur.
Over the past few years, "100%" has become one of the most common marketing phrases on food labels. It appears on juices, oils, dairy products, snacks and health foods. In May 2025, FSSAI had already issued an advisory asking all food businesses to avoid using "100%" claims because they are ambiguous, difficult to verify and capable of misleading consumers.
For a brand like Dabur, whose entire identity is built on trust and tradition, this matters more than it would for a lesser-known label. People don't just buy Dabur honey because it's convenient - they buy it because it feels familiar, almost like a family recommendation. That trust is precisely why misleading claims, even unintentional ones, land differently when they come from a household name.
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How to make the right choice as a customer?
You don't have to boycott your favourite brands. It's about learning to read a label properly and make an informed choice based on your preferences. As gastroenterologist Dr Saurabh Sethi has often pointed out, the front of the pack is marketing - the back is where the truth sits. Ingredients are listed in order of quantity, so the first three usually make up most of what you're eating. A shorter ingredient list is generally a better sign, and if you can't recognise most of what's listed, that's worth noticing too. Nutritionist Amita Gadre also recommends checking the nutrition information panel instead of relying solely on words such as "natural" or "pure". Hidden sugars, excess sodium or unnecessary additives may not be obvious from the front label but become clear once you read the back of the pack.
Ultimately, the FSSAI's move is about improving transparency rather than creating panic.
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