Global spirits major Diageo has agreed to reformulate several of its top-selling whisky and rum products in India following regulatory action by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) over the use of added flavorings, according to a Reuters report.
The agreement could pave the way for the food safety regulator to lift sales bans and restrictions recently imposed on the affected products across certain states. The modified formulations will apply to the specified brands nationwide, rather than being limited to the regional markets where sales were restricted.
The affected products include Antiquity Blue and Royal Challenge whiskies manufactured in Madhya Pradesh, as well as McDowell’s No. 1 Celebration Matured XXX Rum produced in Maharashtra. As part of the resolution, Diageo will remove added whisky flavorings from its whiskies and added rum flavorings from its rums. While the reformulation process is underway, the company has agreed to make the presence of added flavoring substances more explicit on the front packaging of its bottles.
The development follows an industry-wide crackdown by FSSAI over alleged mislabeling and the improper use of artificial or nature-identical flavoring agents to mimic natural aging processes. Although liquor manufacturers, including Diageo’s Indian subsidiary United Spirits and Old Monk maker Mohan Meakin, filed legal challenges in the Bombay High Court against the restrictions, Diageo’s agreement signals a shift toward regulatory compliance.
Separately, the liquor giant has faced scrutiny over packaging regulations, with Indian authorities recently seizing approximately 18,000 cases of Diageo products over alleged non-compliance with markings required for safe recycled plastic packaging.