Reliance sues India's food regulator over energy drink label ban
Summary
Reliance Industries has filed a lawsuit against India's food regulator, challenging a ban on labeling its Campa-brand products as "energy drinks," according to court documents dated October 1. This legal action targets a June 30 directive from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) that prohibits high-caffeine beverages from using the term "energy drinks." The ban is part of a broader national effort to address health concerns associated with such products, which has seen beverage makers like PepsiCo and Monster Beverage also sue the regulator, while Red Bull has managed to secure a court reprieve. Since reviving the Campa brand in 2023, Reliance has aimed to disrupt the beverage market, which is growing quickly in India, expanding at an annual rate of 12.6%, thereby intensifying its competition with giants like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo.