BackSupreme Court paves way for stricter regulation of colas, fizzy drinks
Supreme Court asks FSSAI to monitor chemical additives in carbonated drinks regularly
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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered regular monitoring and inspection of aerated soft drinks, paving the way for stricter regulation of colas and other fizzy drinks.
The order came in response to a public interest litigation which raised the issue of allegedly harmful content, including carcinogenic elements, in soft drinks, claiming companies kept people in the dark by concealing the content.
Giving his ruling in an open court, Justice K.S.P. Radhakrishnan handed the task to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), ordering regular monitoring of chemical additives in carbonated drinks.
Given the statutory framework for regulating food and food products and subsequent rules and regulations that have been laid down, the judge said companies making aerated soft drinks must comply with such regulations.
The petition filed by the civil society body, Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), wanted a special panel to be set up in order to keep a check on soft drink contents and manufacturers.
A beverage industry expert said on condition of anonymity that a host of food and beverage companies comply with norms laid down by the FSSAI. “All food and beverage companies need to follow those set guidelines," he said. Regular checks are made by food safety authorities in shops and manufacturing plants, he added.
A representative of the Indian Beverage Association, a statutory body for large beverage makers, declined to comment saying he was yet to see a copy of the order.
A spokesperson for PepsiCo India also said the company was yet to receive a copy of the order, but added it complies with regulatory requirements.
“Consumer safety is paramount to PepsiCo India and all our products conform to both Indian and global quality benchmarks. All our products are compliant with regulatory requirements laid down by the FSSAI, including those pertaining to labelling," the spokesperson said. “The copy of the order has not yet been released by the honourable Supreme Court. We can comment further only after we receive the copy of the order and have reviewed the same."
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