NEW DELHI: Delhi HC on Tuesday stayed an order of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) that had directed Red Bull India Private Ltd to stop using the words “energy drink” on its product.Justice Amit Mahajan faulted FSSAI for not following “principles of natural justice”, noting that it passed the June 30 direction to Red Bull without giving any opportunity to the company to file a reply or give any explanation.However, the HC allowed FSSAI to take a fresh decision in the matter after following due process by issuing a show-cause notice to Red Bull and granting it an opportunity of hearing. FSSAI informed the court that no separate show-cause notice was served and that the June 30 letter itself was a notice.Red Bull had moved HC, challenging the FSSAI order, submitting that it had been using the “energy drink” descriptor for its beverage products in India since 2002 and that FSSAI had previously recognised its use for the relevant category of caffeinated beverages.
