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Selling soft drinks and other beverages in India

In India, non-alcoholic beverages are food under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. FSSAI's product standards set what carbonated drinks, mineral water and packaged drinking water may contain, and the Labelling and Display Regulations, 2020 add boxed declarations such as "CONTAINS CAFFEINE" to the general food label.

Updated · Each section links to the official source it comes from

Regulator
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
Product standards
FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011
Caffeine
"CONTAINS CAFFEINE", with the amount added
Water bottles
"CRUSH THE BOTTLE AFTER USE" or "DISPOSE THE BOTTLE RESPONSIBLY"
BIS mark for water
De-notified from compulsory BIS certification
Label language
English or Hindi in Devanagari script

Before a product goes on sale

The questions to answer, in the order they usually come up.

  1. 1Does the drink fall under a product standard, such as carbonated water or packaged drinking water? Read more
  2. 2Which boxed declarations does it need? Read more
  3. 3What else goes on the label? Read more
  4. 4Is the bottle or can covered by packaging and plastic rules? Read more
  5. 5Who holds the licence, and how is an import cleared? Read more

The rules, by area

What each area covers, the texts that set it, and what the official pages say.

Product standards

What FSSAI's standards say a drink may contain.

  • Standard 2.10.6 covers carbonated non-alcoholic beverages; carbonated water is water meeting the packaged drinking water standard, impregnated with carbon dioxide.
  • As notified in 2011, carbonated water may contain caffeine not exceeding 145 parts per million, with listed sweeteners at set maximum levels.
  • Added sugar is declared on the container, and if no sugar is added, that too is declared.
  • Standard 2.10.7 covers mineral water and standard 2.10.8 packaged drinking water other than mineral water.
  • BIS lists packaged natural mineral water (IS 13428) and packaged drinking water (IS 14543) as de-notified from compulsory BIS certification under FSSAI's Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales amendments of 2022 and 2024.

How we help: Compliant Always reads the formula and lab reports against the standard for the drink, and keeps them with each batch, dated. Ask about this

Boxed declarations

Statements the Labelling and Display Regulations require in a box for certain ingredients and products.

  • A drink with added caffeine is labelled "CONTAINS CAFFEINE" in a rectangular box, and the added caffeine is declared in mg per 100 ml in the ingredients list (from 17 November 2021).
  • Products with 10% or more polyols or polydextrose state that they may have a laxative effect.
  • Products with isomaltulose state the energy per 100 ml and that they are not recommended for infants below 12 months and pregnant women.
  • One-time-use plastic bottles of packaged drinking water and mineral water carry "CRUSH THE BOTTLE AFTER USE" or "DISPOSE THE BOTTLE RESPONSIBLY".

How we help: Compliant Always reads the formula against the box triggers and shows which declarations the label needs. Ask about this

General label

The particulars every pre-packaged drink carries.

  • The name, ingredients, nutrition information per 100 ml and per serve, additives by class and INS number, the brand owner and FSSAI licence number, lot number and dates.
  • The vegetarian and non-vegetarian logos do not apply to mineral water, packaged drinking water or carbonated water.
  • Packaged and mineral water may not carry claims of medicinal or other health effects, and a place name may form part of the trade name only if the water is collected there.
  • Labels are in English or Hindi in Devanagari script.
  • Net quantity, the retail sale price inclusive of taxes, the unit sale price and consumer care details follow the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011.

How we help: Compliant Always reads the label against the FSSAI particulars and the rule 6 declarations together. Ask about this

Packaging

Food contact materials and plastic packaging.

  • Packaging that touches the drink is food grade under the Packaging Regulations, 2018, which set Indian Standards for plastic, metal and paper materials.
  • Recycled plastics may not be used for packaging food under those regulations, as notified in 2018.
  • Producers, importers and brand owners using plastic packaging register on the CPCB centralised portal for extended producer responsibility.
  • From the 2026 amendment, recycled plastic packaging conforms to IS 14534:2023 and carries the marking.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the bottle and closure suppliers' declarations with each pack format, and shows which are missing or out of date. Ask about this

Licensing and import

The FSSAI licence and port clearance.

  • Beverage makers and sellers hold an FSSAI licence or registration under section 31 of the FSS Act.
  • Importers hold a central licence and an Import-Export Code, and each consignment is cleared by FSSAI at the port.
  • As notified in 2017, imported food has at least 60% of its shelf life remaining at import.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps licences and import papers with each lot and shows what is expiring. Ask about this

Who answers for what

WhoWhat they answer forHow we help
Brand ownerThe label, the boxed declarations and claims on the pack.The label read against the declarations the formula triggers.
Bottler or manufacturerA drink that meets the product standard, under its FSSAI licence.Lab reports and specifications kept with each batch.
ImporterThe central import licence, the importer's details and port clearance.Supplier documents read and dated before shipment.

Central and state rules

Most product rules in India are central: FSSAI for food, CDSCO for imported cosmetics, BIS for standards and the Department of Consumer Affairs for packaged-goods declarations.

States license cosmetics manufacture, enforce food and legal metrology rules through their own officers, and run excise on alcohol.

Questions businesses ask

Does a caffeinated drink need a warning in India?
It needs the declaration "CONTAINS CAFFEINE" in a rectangular box, and the quantity of added caffeine in the ingredients list, under the Labelling and Display Regulations, 2020.
How much caffeine can a carbonated soft drink contain in India?
As notified in 2011, standard 2.10.6 allows caffeine not exceeding 145 parts per million in carbonated water. Check FSSAI's current text for amendments.
Does packaged drinking water need the ISI mark?
BIS lists packaged drinking water (IS 14543) and packaged natural mineral water (IS 13428) as de-notified from compulsory BIS certification under FSSAI's 2022 and 2024 amendments. FSSAI's product standards still apply.
What must a plastic water bottle say in India?
One-time-use plastic bottles of packaged drinking water and mineral water carry "CRUSH THE BOTTLE AFTER USE" or "DISPOSE THE BOTTLE RESPONSIBLY".
Must a soft drink declare its sugar?
Yes. Under standard 2.10.6 the quantity of added sugar is declared on the container, and if no sugar is added, that is declared too. Nutrition information includes total and added sugars.
Do drinks need the vegetarian logo?
Most do. The Labelling and Display Regulations, 2020 do not apply the vegetarian and non-vegetarian logos to mineral water, packaged drinking water, carbonated water, alcoholic beverages, liquid milk, milk powders and honey.
Can bottled water make health claims in India?
No. The Labelling and Display Regulations, 2020 bar claims of medicinal effects, and of other health benefits, for packaged drinking water and mineral water.
Which language does a beverage label have to be in?
English or Hindi in Devanagari script. Other languages may be added if they do not contradict the mandatory information.
Does the bottle need a maximum retail price?
Yes. The Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 require a retail sale price in Indian currency, inclusive of taxes, with net quantity and consumer care details.
Can recycled plastic be used for drink bottles in India?
The Packaging Regulations, 2018, as notified, do not allow recycled plastics for food packaging. The 2026 plastic waste amendment sets IS 14534:2023 for recycled plastic packaging. Check FSSAI's current text.
Do I need an FSSAI licence to import soft drinks?
Yes. Importers hold a central licence from FSSAI and an Import-Export Code, and FSSAI clears each consignment at the port.
How does Compliant Always help with selling in India?
Our team reads the rules for the markets you sell in, including India's central regulators and the state rules that sit beside them. Compliant Always shows which apply to your product, keeps the documents behind each one ready, and watches the sources for changes. It shows what the requirements say and what your documents show; you decide.

Sources

Compliant Always is a product of Lettuce Labs LLC. It shows what requirements say and what your documents show. It is not legal advice, and you decide.

Tell us what you make, and we will show you the rules for it.

Name the product and the markets you sell in. We will come back to you with what applies in India and what your paperwork needs to show.

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