CCPA penalises Storia Foods and Mrs. Bectors over misleading "100%" food claims

📌 Summary:

• The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) imposed a penalty of Rs 1 lakh each on Storia Foods and Beverages Pvt Ltd and Mrs. Bectors Food Specialities Ltd (English Oven) for misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices using the expression "100%"
• Both firms directed to immediately discontinue the impugned claims across packaging, websites and all digital platforms
• Action taken under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and the 2022 Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements
• CCPA's principle: "100%" is an absolute, precise numerical claim that must match the product's actual composition; it cannot be used loosely or as a marketing slogan, and in the absence of a statutory definition must be read in its plain literal sense by an ordinary consumer
• Storia case (suo motu): products like "100% Tender Coconut Water" and "100% Juice" variants were actually reconstituted from concentrate (e.g. coconut water concentrate 9.6%) with added water; "100% Natural" was untenable as the product contained Class II preservative INS 202
• Violation cited under Section 2(9) (consumers' right to be informed) and related provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS2 - consumer protection, statutory regulatory bodies, transparency/accountability and protection of consumer rights against misleading advertising.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• CCPA is a statutory body established under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution)
• Penalty: Rs 1,00,000 each; led by Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare
• Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements were issued in 2022
• INS 202 is a Class II preservative

🔑 Key Term: CCPA (Central Consumer Protection Authority) - statutory body under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 that regulates matters of consumer rights, unfair trade practices and misleading advertisements.