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United Spirits withdraws HC plea after FSSAI lifts rum ban
United Spirits has withdrawn its Bombay High Court challenge against the FSSAI ban on some of its liquor variants after the regulator revoked the order earlier this month. The dispute involved the…
United Spirits has withdrawn its Bombay High Court challenge against the FSSAI ban on some of its liquor variants after the regulator revoked the order earlier this month. The dispute involved the use of added 'rum flavour' in products marketed as rum. Old Monk maker Mohan Rocky Springwater Breweries continues to challenge a similar ban in the same court, with the next hearing scheduled for Monday.
The FSSAI had prohibited sale of select variants of McDowell's No. 1 Rum, Antiquity Blue Whisky, and Royal Challenge Whisky, citing lab tests that found artificial flavouring substances. The regulator argued that adding 'rum flavour' to rum violates the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018, which require standardized alcoholic beverages to have their characteristic taste and aroma.
United Spirits had argued in court that adding 'rum flavour' was a long-standing industry practice and questioned the regulator's power to stop sales without findings of consumer harm. On August 18, United Spirits informed stock exchanges that the FSSAI had cancelled its June 29 order. Sources told Mint that Diageo and other liquor makers agreed to comply with FSSAI directives to either remove disputed flavouring agents or relabel their drinks.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The dispute hinges on regulatory definitions: under the 2018 Alcoholic Beverages Regulations, rum must derive its flavour from the distillation and ageing process, not from added flavouring agents. The FSSAI's crackdown signals a stricter interpretation that could reshape labelling and manufacturing practices across the industry. For consumers, the change may be invisible, Old Monk loyalists have said a label change would not affect their choice, but for companies, relabelling large portfolios carries significant costs and logistics. The next milestone is the Bombay High Court hearing on Mohan Rocky's plea, where it claims losses of nearly Rs 1 crore per day from the ban. A verdict there will set the precedent for other distillers using similar flavouring practices.
Source: livemint.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
