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The Delhi High Court has set aside a Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) order directing Red Bull India to stop using the term ‘energy drink’ on its product labels.
The court ruled on September 29 that the regulator had not given the company an adequate opportunity to respond before issuing the directive.
FSSAI issued the disputed order on June 30, 2026, targeting the ‘energy drink’ descriptor used on high-caffeine beverages.
The regulator sent a July 17 communication to food safety authorities across states and Union territories to act against products it considered non-compliant.
Red Bull challenged both directions before the Delhi High Court.
The company argued that it had sold its products in India under the ‘energy drink’ descriptor since 2002. It relied on a March 2024 FSSAI advisory that, according to the company, permitted the expression for products falling under relevant caffeinated-beverage categories.
Justice Amit Mahajan held that FSSAI had issued the June order without first allowing Red Bull to submit a reply or explanation.
The court therefore quashed the order on grounds of procedural fairness.
The court did not decide whether Red Bull can permanently use the descriptor or whether FSSAI lacks regulatory authority over such labelling.
FSSAI can reconsider the issue after issuing a show-cause notice and hearing the company.
The case highlights India’s expanding energy-drink market.
Reuters reported that the sector has been growing at about 12.6% annually and could reach $1.6 billion by 2028.
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