# FSSAI inspects Pernod Ricard plant, collects whisky samples

2026-08-20T07:04:22+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 2 independent outlets

India's food safety regulator inspected a Pernod Ricard factory in Bengaluru last week and collected liquor samples, including of popular whisky brands Blenders Pride and Royal Stag, as part of a wider investigation into the sector. The company confirmed the visit, saying it is working constructively with the authorities. Sources told Reuters the FSSAI has not issued any adverse findings against Pernod yet. Separately, the FSSAI announced it has issued over 150 notices to major food companies, including Nestle India, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Diageo, and Pernod Ricard, over misleading ads, false claims, and labelling non-compliance. The regulator said it has also seized products, cancelled an Amazon warehouse license, and suspended five Domino's licences. The crackdown follows a recent ban on several Diageo whisky and rum brands over improper addition of flavours.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

The ET Retail piece, citing Reuters, leads with the Pernod Ricard inspection as a specific, news-driven event, framing it neutrally as part of a wider industry probe. The Times of India piece, based on a FSSAI social media post, leads with the regulator's own broad enforcement update, listing many brands. The ET version is more detailed on the Pernod case and industry context, the Times version is more a straight regulatory press release. Neither source is critical of the government, both report the FSSAI's actions as factual. A careful reader should note the FSSAI is simultaneously pursuing multiple enforcement actions, but the Pernod inspection is still preliminary with no adverse findings yet. Watch for test results and any further notices.

## Coverage

Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
- retail.economictimes.indiatimes.com (neutral report) <https://retail.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/food-entertainment/grocery/fssai-inspects-pernod-ricard-plant-collects-whisky-samples-in-wider-industry-probe/133362667>
  Leads with the inspection event, includes company statement and context of wider probe.
- timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/fssai-issues-over-150-notices-to-food-brands-over-misleading-ads-false-claims-labelling-non-compliance/articleshow/133426861.cms>
  Leads with FSSAI's own enforcement update, lists many brands without critical framing.

This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources. Last updated 2026-08-22T18:13:47+00:00.

Tags: Bengaluru, Blenders Pride, Diageo, FSSAI, Pernod Ricard
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How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/
