FSSAI said India has not notified any standard for ‘energy drink’ or similar products, though several brands market their drinks using this description.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has reportedly issued notices to at least six beverage companies, including the local unit of popular energy drink maker Red Bull, PepsiCo India, Reliance Consumer Products and Coca-Cola-backed Monster Energy, over alleged misbranding and misleading claims about products being marketed as ‘energy drinks’.
The brands mentioned include Pepsico India Holdings Pvt. Adrenaline Rush, Monster Energy, Campa Energy Drink of Reliance Industries Ltd., Hell Drink of Hell Energy Pvt., and Red Bull.
The Food Safety Authority said in an Instagram post on Wednesday that it had “issued notices to several beverage brands claiming to be energy drinks due to misbranding and misleading claims.”
Complete list of energy drinks noted by FSSAI
Notices have been issued to
red bull energy drink,
Indian energy drink Adrenaline Rush from PepsiCo,
Reliance Consumer Products Kamba Energy Drink – Gold Boost,
sting energy drink,
hell energy and,
Monster Energy is backed by Coca-Cola.
Comments from the companies were not immediately available.
According to the regulatory body, India has not reported any standard for ‘energy drinks’ or similar products, though several brands are marketing their drinks using the ‘energy drink’ description in branding and labeling of the products, a PTI report said.
The FSSAI has also clarified that the food class system under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Regulations is not intended to be used for naming or labeling products.
“Functional or therapeutic claims, including but not limited to, ‘invigorate body and mind’, ‘enhance concentration’, ‘increase energy levels’, ‘help with general weakness’ or similar conditions, are not permitted for food products under the FSS Act 2006 and the rules and regulations issued thereunder.”
The action marks the latest step in FSSAI’s heightened scrutiny of food and beverage marketing claims. In recent months, the regulator has issued multiple notices to food business operators over alleged misbranding, advertising and misleading claims, including those based on consumer complaints. It has also begun publicly disclosing these enforcement actions through social media platforms such as X and Instagram as part of its food safety awareness efforts.
The move comes as the energy drinks market in India continues to grow rapidly. The sector was valued at about $1.5 billion in 2025, and is expected to nearly double to $2.9 billion by 2034, driven by urbanization, a younger consumer base and increased fitness awareness, Bloomberg reported, citing market research firm IMARC Group.
FSSAI has intensified implementation across food categories in recent years. In 2025, it directed manufacturers of sugar-based rehydration drinks not to label their products as Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) unless they comply with the WHO-prescribed formulation.
(With inputs from PTI and Bloomberg)
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