Consumer Watchdog Fines Sunrise Foods Over False Bread Label Claims

The Central Consumer Protection Authority has ordered Sunrise Foods to pay a fine of one lakh rupees for misleading customers by labeling its Everyday bread as 100% whole wheat.

What Happened

An order dated October 28 states that the company must immediately stop the misleading advertisements across print, electronic, and social media platforms. The business must also submit a compliance report within 15 days. Officials launched an inquiry after receiving a complaint from KMA Law Offices, Solicitors and Advocates, regarding mislabelled packaged bread. The investigation report from October 15 concluded that the claim was ambiguous. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India rules state that bread sold as whole wheat must contain a minimum of 75 percent whole wheat flour. The Sunrise Foods product contained only 64 percent whole wheat, falling short of this standard and failing to properly disclose the proportion on the packaging. The authority also noted that the company sold 107,754 packets in the 2024-25 financial year, making 38.11 lakh rupees, followed by 132,437 packets in 2025-26, earning 53.14 lakh rupees.

Response And Defense

Sunrise Foods defended its labeling by stating that the claim was meant to show the wheat flour used was entirely whole wheat atta rather than refined maida. The company argued that whole wheat flour made up 96.3 percent of its total flour inputs and that its revised packaging declared whole wheat at 64 percent of the net weight. Representatives also claimed during an October 23 hearing that older packaging had been removed and withdrawn from quick-commerce listings. However, the authority checked platforms like Blinkit and Zepto via live screen-sharing during the hearing and found the disputed packaging and claims still active. The regulator stated that fine print on the back does not excuse prominent front-of-pack claims and judged the case based on how an ordinary consumer understands the product.

Context

Consumer protection authorities in India regularly monitor product labels and advertisements to prevent false claims on packaged foods. Rules set by food safety regulators exist to ensure that shoppers receive accurate information about the ingredients they purchase. Companies found violating these standards face financial penalties and orders to change their marketing practices.