Dabur India, a leading FMCG company in India, has been accused of misleading consumers by food activist Nalini Unagar over its popular Ayurvedic health supplement, Dabur Chyawanprash. Unagar pointed out that the product contains 59.5 grams of sugar per serving, listed as “Sharkara” on the label, which could easily be mistaken for an Ayurvedic herb rather than plain sugar. According to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulations, ingredients must be listed in descending order of weight or volume, with the ingredient with the highest quantity appearing first.
However, in the case of Dabur Chyawanprash, sugar is listed in the middle of the ingredient list, potentially obscuring its high quantity from consumers who may not recognize “Sharkara” as sugar. This is not the first time Dabur has faced scrutiny over its Chyawanprash product, having been directed by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) to modify or withdraw an advertisement claiming the product provided protection against Covid-19.
Ayurvedic products like Chyawanprash are regulated under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, in India, overseen by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). However, a survey by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) revealed that many Ayurvedic drug labels in India fail to comply with labeling requirements, including listing cautions in multiple languages or providing clear ingredient information.
The use of Sanskrit terms like “Sharkara” for sugar, as seen in Dabur’s labeling, further complicates transparency for consumers unfamiliar with the language. The controversy threatens to tarnish the brand’s reputation as a trusted health product, given its significant popularity, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic.