‘Nobody will be spared’: Maharashtra FDA chief Tukaram Mundhe warns celebrities over surrogate ads

Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has warned that everyone involved in advertising campaigns, including celebrity endorsers, will be held accountable for violations of food safety regulations.

“Everybody across the chain is responsible. It applies to all,” Mundhe told PTI in an exclusive interview, stressing that the regulations were applicable to everyone and “nobody is going to be spared”.

His remarks come days after the Maharashtra FDA issued show-cause notices to Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over their endorsement of Vimal Elaichi, alleging that the advertisement could amount to surrogate or indirect promotion of prohibited pan masala or tobacco-related products.

‘Endorsers must check FSSAI advertising rules’

Mundhe said the advertisement was being examined as a possible surrogate promotion because the company had previously been found selling gutkha.

He said regulations apply to everyone involved in creating, publishing or sponsoring advertisements and claims, and urged celebrities and other endorsers to verify the relevant Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) guidelines before promoting products.

“The issue is about Food Safety and Standards Regulations implementation. One of the regulations is about advertisement and misleading claims,” Mundhe told PTI, noting that the regulation was introduced in 2018 and came into force on July 1, 2019.

“Whatever the product somebody is endorsing, they have to look into the guidelines and regulations of FSSAI about advertising and claims. If wrongfulness is found, we will take action against those also,” he said.

The FDA has said the Vimal Elaichi campaign prima facie amounted to indirect or surrogate promotion of prohibited pan masala and tobacco-related products.

Mundhe said the agency’s action was based on regulations dealing with misleading claims and surrogate advertising. He added that any physical, electronic, social media or other representation that makes or implies an untrue claim would violate the regulations.

“Advertisers found violating the provisions would be issued notices and asked to explain why action should not be initiated against them,” he said.

FDA cracks down on food safety violations

Separately, the Maharashtra FDA has intensified inspections of quick-commerce outlets, hotels, restaurants, eateries and online food delivery businesses as part of a statewide food safety crackdown.

The agency suspended the licence of M/s Parle Agro after expired stocks of Frooti, Appy and Apple Fizz were allegedly found at its Chembur warehouse.

The FDA also suspended licences of several food business establishments associated with online platforms including Blinkit, Zepto and Instamart over alleged food safety and hygiene violations.

According to PTI, the FDA inspected 86 establishments across Maharashtra on August 13 that sell or deliver food through online platforms. It issued 60 improvement notices and ordered the temporary closure of one facility.