Maharashtra FDA bans formula milk promotions, influencer ads under stricter infant food rules

MAHARASHTRA, 30 SEPTEMBER 2026 —

Maharashtra’s food‑safety chief on Thursday issued a statewide compliance order that bans all commercial promotion of infant formula, milk substitutes and related feeding products, and tightens labelling requirements for the entire supply chain.

It applies to manufacturers, brand owners, importers, re‑packers, distributors, retailers, pharmacies, hospital suppliers and e‑commerce platforms dealing with infant formula, follow‑up formula, complementary and traditional infant foods, foods for special medical purposes and feeding bottles.

The Maharashtra FDA said inspections and surveys had uncovered a range of violations, including labels that omitted the mandatory breastfeeding notice, age‑of‑introduction warnings and preparation instructions. Products were also being marketed under euphemistic descriptions such as “baby cereal”, “health mix”, “stage food” and “nutrition powder” to evade the prescribed standards. Under the new order, every package must display prominently on the front the notice “IMPORTANT NOTICE – MOTHER’S MILK IS BEST FOR YOUR BABY”.

Images of infants or women, and descriptors such as “humanised”, “maternalised”, “complete food” and “health food”, are prohibited. Complementary foods must also state that they should be introduced only after six months of age.

The crackdown is framed against a backdrop of health and breastfeeding trends highlighted by the National Family Health Survey 6. According to data cited by the FDA, only 55.8 % of mothers in Maharashtra initiate breastfeeding within the first hour after birth, a figure that falls to 52.8 % in urban areas.

The agency also pointed to rising non‑communicable‑disease risk factors among children and adolescents: 35.1 % of those aged 10‑19 have high blood pressure, 12.3 % are classified as pre‑diabetic or diabetic, and elevated triglyceride levels and low HDL cholesterol have been reported in the same age group. The FDA linked these trends to improper infant and childhood feeding practices and warned of a longer‑term burden on the health system.

All forms of commercial advertising are now prohibited. The order bans advertisements, free samples, gifts, coupons, cashback, discount campaigns, influencer promotions and cross‑promotions of infant milk substitutes, infant foods and feeding bottles on e‑commerce marketplaces, social‑media platforms and messaging applications.

Companies are also barred from providing sponsorship, funding, hospitality, travel or registration expenses, speaker fees, research grants or any other benefits to health workers, hospitals, nursing homes, pharmacies or medical associations in connection with conferences, seminars, workshops, continuing medical education programmes, fellowships or research activities.

When asked whether the ban extended to influencer‑driven content on social media, Commissioner Mundhe said responsibility could fall on both the company marketing the product and the individual endorsing it if the promotion breaches the law. He stressed that the prohibition targets commercial promotion, not legitimate medical advice.

“The restrictions do not prevent medical practitioners from providing necessary nutritional guidance where a mother is unable to breastfeed for medical reasons or where an infant requires food for specialised medical purposes,” he said.

To ensure transparency, the FDA has introduced an online system that records complaints and inspection reports with time‑stamps. Officials said the platform is intended to guard against corruption or extortion during inspections. Manufacturers, importers and brand owners have been given 30 days to conduct self‑audits of licences, product approvals, BIS coverage, formulations, labels and promotional practices and to submit compliance declarations.

Designated officers have 45 days to map establishments and online sellers and begin risk‑based inspections. The first consolidated enforcement report must be submitted to the commissioner within 60 days.

Penalties for non‑compliance are steep. Misleading advertisements or unlicensed businesses can attract fines of up to ₹10 lakh, substandard food up to ₹5 lakh and misbranded food up to ₹3 lakh. Unsafe food that leads to death can result in prosecution with imprisonment of up to life. In addition, licences may be suspended or cancelled.

Mundhe highlighted the broader objective of the enforcement drive: to encourage healthy feeding practices and ensure safe nutrition during the early years of life, which officials described as crucial to children’s physical and intellectual development.

“A child under two cannot protect itself,” he said, adding that enforcement of the Infant Milk Substitutes Act will now be the responsibility of every Food Safety Officer in Maharashtra and will be undertaken as rigorously as enforcement of the Food Safety and Standards Act.

The order arrives as Indian states increasingly align with global calls to curb aggressive marketing of breast‑milk substitutes, a practice the World Health Organization says undermines breastfeeding. While the Maharashtra directive is the most comprehensive at the state level, it mirrors similar moves in other Indian jurisdictions that have tightened labelling and advertising rules for infant nutrition products.

Industry groups have not yet issued a formal response, but the 30‑day self‑audit window gives companies a narrow period to adjust product packaging, withdraw prohibited promotional material and re‑train marketing teams. E‑commerce platforms operating in Maharashtra will need to audit listings and remove any content that contravenes the new rules, or risk fines and possible suspension of licences.

The Maharashtra FDA’s online complaint portal is now live, allowing consumers, health professionals and civil‑society organisations to report violations. The agency said it will publish periodic updates on the number of complaints received, inspections carried out and actions taken, to maintain public confidence in the enforcement process.

With the order now in effect, the next 60 days will determine how quickly the state can achieve full compliance across its vast infant‑food market. The first consolidated enforcement report, due at the end of the period, will provide the first comprehensive picture of the impact of the new regime on manufacturers, retailers and, ultimately, on breastfeeding rates and child health outcomes in Maharashtra.

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