Delhi High Court pauses FSSAI order barring Red Bull from using 'energy drink' label
Red Bull can continue using the words “Energy Drink” on its product labels for now after the Delhi High Court set aside a Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) order that had directed the company to stop using the term. The court found that Red Bull was not given an opportunity to respond before the June 30, 2026 order was passed.
Justice Amit Mahajan allowed Red Bull’s petition on the limited ground that principles of natural justice were not followed.
However, the court did not close the matter for good. FSSAI remains free to reconsider its decision after issuing a show-cause notice and giving Red Bull an opportunity to be heard.DELHI HIGH COURT SETS ASIDE FSSAI ORDER
The dispute began after FSSAI directed Red Bull to stop using the term “Energy Drink” for its products.
Red Bull challenged the FSSAI order before the Delhi High Court, arguing that the direction had been issued without giving the company a chance to explain its position.
The court agreed that this was a procedural issue.
“It remains undisputed that the order dated 30th June, 2026 directing the petitioner to not use the term ‘Energy Drink’ in its product was passed without affording any opportunity to the petitioner to file any reply or give any explanation,” the court observed.
The Delhi High Court allowed Red Bull’s petition and set aside the June 30 FSSAI order.
Importantly, the court's decision was based on the lack of an opportunity of hearing. It did not make a final determination on whether the term “Energy Drink” is permissible under FSSAI's food labelling rules.
This means the food regulator can revisit the matter.FSSAI CAN TAKE A FRESH DECISION
The court clarified that FSSAI is free to take a fresh decision after following the required process.
This would include issuing Red Bull a show-cause notice and giving the company an opportunity to respond and be heard before any fresh order is passed.
For now, the court's ruling gives Red Bull relief from the June 30 direction, while leaving the wider FSSAI labelling dispute open.- Ends
Aneesha Mathur is a Special Correspondent for India Today where she puts her LLB degree to use covering Legal issues and cases in the Supreme Court of India, Delhi High court and other courts/tribunals.
Aneesha joined India Today in October 2018. After graduating from St Stephen's College and Faculty of law,Delhi University, she spent the formative years of her career in print Media.
Her interest in journalism stems from experience while interning with Legal services and Juvenile justice board as a law student, where she learnt the importance of ensuring that accurate information reaches the world, and that stories about individual experiences and statistics that show a "bigger picture" must supplement each other so other people can see what the large impact of a small thing can be. When not working or thinking about the law and it's state, Aneesha hides from reality in fantasy novels, rom-coms and food.
