 "Bournvita")
Amid the controversy surrounding Bournvita, the national children's rights body on Wednesday wrote to its manufacturer, seeking a reply on allegations that the chocolate-flavored powder contains harmful substances.
India’s apex child rights body, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) also asked Mondelez International India (the company that sells Bournvita) to conduct a review and withdraw misleading advertisements and labels.
In the notice to Deepak Iyer, president-India, Mondelez International, the child rights body said,'' The commission in this regard observes that the product manufactured by your company is misleading the customers through it product packaging and advertisements. The commission observes that your product's labelling, packaging, display and advertisement claims are misleading for the general public.''
NCPCR further said that the product's labelling and packaging also fails to acknowledge the correct information regarding the contents used in the Bournvita health drink, reported PTI.
It sought a reply from the snacks company within a week.
Bournvita, made by Cadbury, a subsidiary of Mondelez International, recently made headlines after an Instagram influencer claimed that it contains sugar, cocoa solids and a cancer-causing colourant.
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The influence, who identified himself as a nutritionist and a health coach, later deleted the video after Mondelez India served him with a legal notice.
However, the video went viral and sparked massive backlash, with worried parents raising concerns about the contents of Bournvita.
However, the video went viral and sparked massive backlash, with worried parents raising concerns about the contents of Bournvita.
Responding to the viral videos, Mondelez India said that the video was "unscientific" and "distorted facts and made false and negative inferences."
"We would like to reiterate that the formulation has been scientifically crafted by a team of nutritionists and food scientists to offer the best of taste and health. All of our claims are verified and transparent, and all of our ingredients have regulatory approval. All of the necessary nutritional information is provided on the package to allow consumers to make informed decisions," a Bournvita spokesperson had said.
The company said the video created "panic, anxiety, and questioned the trust that consumers have bestowed on brands like Bournvita".
"As we continued to witness an abnormal and unusual amount of traction on the post, we were constrained to take legal recourse to avoid misinformation. We also issued a statement to clarify and share the correct facts to allay the concerns of our consumers," the company added.
(With PTI Inputs)
