A major blow to alcohol lovers! Several brands, including Old Monk and Royal Challenge, have been banned. Why have sales been halted?

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has banned the sale of certain variants of some of the most popular liquor brands, including Old Monk, Antiquity Blue, Royal Challenge, and Bagpiper Deluxe. The main reason behind FSSAI’s action is that these products were using artificial flavors that were completely against the established standards. 

The investigation revealed that companies like Diageo India’s United Spirits, Inbrew Beverages and Mohan Rocky Springwater were using artificial or ‘nature-identical’ flavours instead of traditional maturation process and natural ingredients to bring out the right aroma and taste in the liquor.

Where is the sale banned?

FSSAI has banned the sale of these select brands in different states.

In Madhya Pradesh, United Spirits’ Antiquity Blue whisky and Royal Challenge whisky, as well as Inbru Beverages’ Bagpiper Deluxe whisky and Old Cask Deluxe XXX rum, have been banned. In Maharashtra, the sale of three different variants of Old Monk, produced by Mohan Rocky Springwater, has been banned.

According to a Reuters report, it is not yet clear whether this ban applies only to bottles manufactured in these specific factories/locations or whether it will also affect the stock coming from other plants of these brands across the country.

This shocking revelation was made in the lab test

According to India’s food safety regulations, a certain amount of natural flavoring agents can be used in alcoholic beverages. However, when samples from these brands were tested in the FSSAI’s government lab, a strange phenomenon was discovered—the companies were adding a separate “whisky flavor” to whiskey and a separate “rum flavor” to rum. Such flavoring is strictly prohibited under Indian regulations.

What impact will this have on the liquor market?

India is one of the largest liquor markets in the world, with the industry having an annual turnover of around $40 billion (about Rs 3.3 lakh crore).

Diageo India (through United Spirits) is India’s largest liquor company, competing directly with France’s Pernod Ricard.

The brands against which FSSAI has taken action are all produced in India (domestic brands). They are priced lower than imported scotch or premium rums, making them highly consumed by the general public.

These days, FSSAI is adopting a very strict stance regarding the quality of food items and beverages, and this action is being considered a part of the same nationwide inspection campaign.