India's consumer watchdog orders McVitie's to drop "Wholewheat" label

The Central Consumer Protection Authority intervened when a newspaper article highlighted a video questioning the authenticity of "healthy" labels on food products, including McVitie's Whole Wheat Marie biscuits. The CCPA determined that the biscuits contain just 19.5 percent whole wheat flour and 52 percent refined wheat flour, yet the front of the pack prominently features the word "Whole Wheat". The authority dismissed the company's defense that the term is part of a registered trademark and that a small disclaimer clarifies the claim, stating that the prominent wording is likely to mislead consumers.

Consequently, Pladis India was ordered to remove the "Wholewheat" claim from all new packaging, halt any related advertising across media, and pay a Rs 1 lakh penalty. The company has agreed to comply and requested nine months to use existing stock, though the order did not explicitly confirm this timeline. A compliance report must be filed within 15 days of the order.