Patanjali's mustard oil ad campaign comes under fire from FSSAI, ASCI
This comes close on the heels of a complaint filed by Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA), a body of domestic edible oil producers, which had written to the Food Safety and Standards Association of India and the Advertising Standards Council of India last week claiming Patanjali was unfairly targeting other brands.
- May 4, 2016,
- Updated May 27, 2016 2:10 PM IST
Country's top food regulator, FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India), and the ASCI (Advertising Standards Council of India) have asked Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Ayurved to explain the advertising campaign for its mustard oil, according to a report in Business Standard.
This comes close on the heels of a complaint filed by Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA), a body of domestic edible oil producers, which had written to the Food Safety and Standards Association of India and the Advertising Standards Council of India last week claiming Patanjali was unfairly targeting other brands.
SEA has objected to Patanjali's ad which says other brands in the market are sub-standard, said B V Mehta, executive director of the association.
SEA wrote to Patanjali a month-and-a-half ago to withdraw the ads because it was misleading. But, then did not hear from them, Mehta added.
In response, Patanjali said its campaign was based on facts and is not misleading consumers.
Edible oil companies contest this claim, though.
Adani Wilmar, the producer of Fortune brand of edible oil, says ads like these create confusion among consumers.
Its CEO Atul Chaturvedi held Patanjali's ad misleading stating that kachhi ghani mustard oil is 100 per cent kachhi ghani and not blended with any other oil or solvent extraction as indicated in the ad (by Patanjali).
It is not the only instance where Patanjali had a brush with the regulators over its claims. The company was earlier pulled up for selling noodles and pasta without licence.
Country's top food regulator, FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India), and the ASCI (Advertising Standards Council of India) have asked Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Ayurved to explain the advertising campaign for its mustard oil, according to a report in Business Standard.
This comes close on the heels of a complaint filed by Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA), a body of domestic edible oil producers, which had written to the Food Safety and Standards Association of India and the Advertising Standards Council of India last week claiming Patanjali was unfairly targeting other brands.
SEA has objected to Patanjali's ad which says other brands in the market are sub-standard, said B V Mehta, executive director of the association.
SEA wrote to Patanjali a month-and-a-half ago to withdraw the ads because it was misleading. But, then did not hear from them, Mehta added.
In response, Patanjali said its campaign was based on facts and is not misleading consumers.
Edible oil companies contest this claim, though.
Adani Wilmar, the producer of Fortune brand of edible oil, says ads like these create confusion among consumers.
Its CEO Atul Chaturvedi held Patanjali's ad misleading stating that kachhi ghani mustard oil is 100 per cent kachhi ghani and not blended with any other oil or solvent extraction as indicated in the ad (by Patanjali).
It is not the only instance where Patanjali had a brush with the regulators over its claims. The company was earlier pulled up for selling noodles and pasta without licence.