FSSAI Initiates Penal Action Against Amazon, Swiggy, BigBasket, Flipkart, Zepto

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has initiated penal action against five major e-commerce platforms Amazon, Swiggy Instamart, BigBasket, Flipkart India and Zepto over various food safety and regulatory violations.

The food regulator said on Wednesday that it had launched a major crackdown on e-commerce platforms following detection of non-compliances including misleading claims, misbranding and the sale or display of prohibited or poisonous food articles.

FSSAI said penal action had been initiated against all five platforms over misleading claims related to the food product “Happilo Premium Date Bites - Zesty Orange”.

Separate action has also been taken against Swiggy Instamart and BigBasket over misleading claims and non-compliant product information concerning certain dairy products manufactured by Milky Mist. The products identified by the regulator are Milky Mist Fresh Low Fat Cream, Milky Mist Farm Fresh Curd and Milky Mist Greek Yoghurt.

FSSAI also found Amazon Seller Services, Swiggy Instamart and BigBasket to be non-compliant with applicable provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, concerning the sale, display and offering for sale of Datura (Dhatura) fruits and seeds through e-commerce platforms.

The regulator did not provide details of the penalties or further action proposed against the companies.

Email queries sent to the concerned e-commerce platforms seeking their response did not elicit any immediate reply.

FSSAI has stepped up enforcement measures against food business operators and e-commerce companies over the past six months. The regulator has also increasingly been using social media platforms to inform consumers about enforcement actions and food safety concerns.

The latest action comes amid growing reliance on online platforms for the purchase of groceries, packaged foods and other food products, putting greater focus on compliance with food safety and labelling regulations in the digital marketplace.