Hindustan Unilever rebrands Horlicks and Boost, drops 'healthy' labels

Following the Union Ministry's directive barring e-commerce platforms from listing products as 'healthy drinks,' HUL brands like Horlicks and Boost are now under the Functional Nutritional Drinks (FND) category.

Hindustan Unilever (HUL) has renamed its 'health food drinks' category to 'functional nutritional drinks' (FND). This change comes after the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry directed e-commerce platforms not to list these products under the 'healthy drinks' category. As a result, HUL brands like Horlicks and Boost are now classified under the new FND category.

Previously, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry advised e-commerce sites not to categorize Cadbury Bournvita and similar products as 'health drinks.' This guidance stemmed from the fact that the Food Safety and Standards Act does not recognize a 'health drinks' category.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has advised e-commerce platforms not to categorize dairy, cereal, or malt-based beverages under the 'health drink' or 'energy drink' labels, citing that these terms could mislead customers.