India’s food safety regulator FSSAI has issued notices to alcoholic beverage manufacturers for alleged non-compliance with regulations covering flavour additives and age-related claims on spirit labels. The action, taken under the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018, has drawn attention to two specific areas of labelling practice that the regulator has flagged for review.
What are the two issues FSSAI has flagged?
The first concerns flavour additives. Indian regulations require that spirits such as rum, brandy, whisky, gin, wine and beer must possess their natural, characteristic taste and aroma — derived from ingredients, fermentation and maturation. The regulations do not permit the addition of synthetic flavouring substances to replicate or enhance this natural profile. FSSAI’s notices relate to instances where manufacturers were found to have added such substances, which the regulator says contravenes the 2018 regulations.
The second concerns age-related claims on labels. Under Regulation 13.7 of the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018, any age declared on a bottle must reflect the youngest spirit used in the blend. So if a blended whisky is labelled “Aged 12 Years,” every component in that blend must have been matured for at least 12 years. FSSAI found instances where brands were using terms such as “aged,” “vintage” or indirect age expressions that did not meet this standard.
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What is a Show Cause Notice?
FSSAI does not immediately impose penalties. A Show Cause Notice is a formal legal document that gives the company an opportunity to respond — to explain its position and provide supporting evidence such as recipe documentation, ingredient breakdowns and laboratory analysis before any enforcement action is considered. Companies must respond within a specified timeframe. If FSSAI finds the response satisfactory, the matter may be closed. If not, it can proceed with action under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which may include fines or directions to revise labelling.
Why are these regulations in place?
The 2018 regulations exist to ensure that labels on alcoholic beverages accurately represent what is in the bottle — both in terms of ingredients and maturation. Age statements carry commercial significance in the spirits category, particularly for whisky, where maturation period is directly linked to product quality and pricing. Flavour claims similarly influence consumer perception and purchase decisions. The regulations are designed to ensure that such claims are backed by the actual composition and process of the product.
Is this a new development?
The 2018 regulations have been in force for several years, but active enforcement across the alcoholic beverage sector has varied. The current round of notices follows FSSAI’s recently implemented First Amendment Regulations, which introduced mandatory statutory warnings in a specific label format for alcoholic beverages — indicating a broader push towards standardised and transparent labelling across the sector.
The notices are part of FSSAI’s compliance process. Companies have been directed to submit their explanations, and the outcomes will depend on the responses received and the regulator’s assessment of each case.
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