The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has instructed the Bombay High Court that the liquor brand Old Monk cannot label or market its product as ‘rum.’ This decision underscores ongoing regulatory scrutiny over alcoholic beverage classifications in the country. The ruling highlights the importance of compliance with food safety standards and the potential implications for brands operating in the Indian market.
The FSSAI initiated enforcement action against alcohol beverage manufacturers for the use of non-permitted flavours, age-related claims, and misleading labels, according to a statement of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare dated August 2.
The next hearing is scheduled for September 11.
The regulatory body, on Thursday, informed the court that Old Monk cannot be sold as “rum” because the product is made using neutral spirit and artificial rum flavouring, according to a report by LiveMint. FSSAI’s counsel clarified to the court that the primary issue is the fundamental nature of the product rather than just its labelling, stating that selling it as “rum” is not permitted, according to the report.
Old Monk Rum Label Misleading, Investigation Reveals
An investigation has found that the label claiming ‘7 years old blended’ on Old Monk XXX Rum is misleading. The primary ingredient in this variant is neutral spirit, which is unaged and makes up the majority of the product. In contrast, the aged rum spirit constitutes less than 5% of the blend, according to findings released on August 2.
