United Spirits Ltd has moved the Bombay High Court challenging a Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) order restricting the sale of one of the products manufactured at its Baramati unit over alleged non-compliance with food safety labelling norms.
The company said in a regulatory filing on Monday that it filed a writ petition on August 1 against an order dated June 29 issued by FSSAI under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
According to the company, FSSAI’s order relates to the sale of one of its products on the ground that the declarations on its labels do not conform to provisions of the food safety law.
United Spirits said it is of the view, based on legal advice, that the declarations on the product labels comply with the applicable legal and regulatory framework in India and are consistent with long-standing industry practice.
The company said there are currently no material operational or financial implications arising from the order, while it continues to monitor the matter and its potential impact.
United Spirits also said the issue is being taken up with FSSAI by industry associations, including the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC) and the International Spirits & Wines Association of India (ISWAI), as an industry-wide concern.
The company said it was aware of media reports and an FSSAI press release issued on August 2, but declined to comment further as the matter is sub judice before the Bombay High Court.
The disclosure was made on the first working day after filing of the writ petition. United Spirits said the delay was due to the time required to verify facts and information with multiple internal stakeholders.
