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7 days ago
The chocolate truth test: FSSAI’s new labels may expose how much of India’s chocolate is “imitation”
Summary
Is the chocolate that Indians eat actually chocolate? That's the question that India's food regulator wants answered.
The regulator is planning stricter labelling rules to make it clear which chocolate product is made with cocoa butter to distinguish it easily from cheaper substitutes that rely on vegetable fats.
The move could reshape India’s $3 billion chocolate market, where nearly 80% of products are estimated to fall into the so-called imitation category that blend cocoa and flavouring agents besides vegetable fats.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) plans to mandate that the term “imitation chocolate” be prominently displayed on the front of product packs, according to two government officials and documents reviewed by Mint.
The move is intended to help consumers easily spot products with vegetable fats such as palm oil and hydrogenated fats, popularly termed Dalda or vanaspati ghee and medically identified as a harmful dietary fat.
Under current Indian standards, such substitutes are allowed to comprise up to 35% of chocolate products—far above the 5% limit permitted internationally for real chocolate.
However, this distinction is rarely communicated clearly to consumers.
Under the new proposal, manufacturers will be required to disclose the use of vegetable fats on the front of the pack and not in fine print at the back.
The font size of these declarations will be proportionate to the brand logo and placed prominently on the front panel to ensure immediate visibility.
“Imitation chocolate means it is like chocolate, but it's not chocolate. Today if you look in the market, 80% is imitation chocolate being sold. It should be clearly visible on the packaging whether it's chocolate or imitation chocolate,” said a government official cited above requesting anonymity.
While the domestic industry has suggested terms such as “confection,” the regulator prefers a more direct approach for the Indian market, where literacy and awareness levels vary.
“By moving these declarations from the fine print on the back to the front of the packaging, the FSSAI aims to ensure an informed choice. The matter is under extensive stakeholders’ consultation involving various ministries and consumer organizations,” the official added.
India’s chocolate market is currently dominated by major players including Mondelez India, the maker of Cadbury Dairy Milk and 5 Star; Nestlé, which sells KitKat and Munch; and Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (Amul) with its range of dark and milk chocolates.
Other companies active in the retail chocolate market include Hershey India, Mars Wrigley, and Ferrero India, known for products such as Ferrero Rocher.
Premium brands like Amul (Dark Chocolate), Pascati, and Mason & Co typically use 100% cocoa butter instead of vegetable fats. These "real" chocolates often start at ₹80 to ₹250, significantly higher than the ₹5 to ₹10 price point of mass-market "imitation" brands.
Mondelez India and Mars Wrigley declined to comment. Queries sent to Nestlé, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, Hershey India, Mars Wrigley, and Ferrero India on Friday did not elicit any response.
Queries emailed to the spokespersons of India’s health and family welfare ministry and FSSAI on 8 March also remained unanswered.
Public health experts say cheaper chocolate substitutes may rely on fats that are less healthy.
Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, former president at the Indian Medical Association (IMA), pointed to the danger of trans fats to cardiac health.
“…cheaper alternatives use various vegetable oils and trans fats instead of cocoa butter as the main fat. Trans fats are not healthy for the heart and have actually been banned in some developed countries,” he said. “Imitation chocolate contains cocoa powder and other flavouring agents along with extra sugar, which often masks the deficiencies.”
Real chocolate, in contrast, has some nutritional benefits from flavonoids and other natural antioxidants, Dr Jayadevan added.
India has an annual cocoa demand of about 100,000 metric tonnes, with chocolate manufacturers accounting for nearly 90% of consumption.
Domestic production stood at about 32,000 metric tonnes in 2024-25 and is expected to reach 35,000 metric tonnes in 2025-26, according to Directorate of Cashewnut and Cocoa Development (DCCD), Kochi, a nodal agency under the Union ministry of agriculture.
Domestic demand for cocoa is rising steadily on the back of demand from the chocolate and confectionery industry. "About 80% of the output is retained for domestic use as local processors absorb most of the supply. Further to meet the domestic demand, we import cocoa from African countries,” said Dr Femina, director at DCCD, Kochi.
India imported $380 million worth of cocoa in FY25, equivalent to 110,000 metric tonnes, data from ministry of commerce and industry showed.
Cocoa is a key commercial plantation crop and is gaining importance in India due to its ability to grow alongside other plantation crops. Its cultivation is concentrated in southern states—particularly Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu—owing to favourable climatic conditions.
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The regulator is planning stricter labelling rules to make it clear which chocolate product is made with cocoa butter to distinguish it easily from cheaper substitutes that rely on vegetable fats.
The move could reshape India’s $3 billion chocolate market, where nearly 80% of products are estimated to fall into the so-called imitation category that blend cocoa and flavouring agents besides vegetable fats.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) plans to mandate that the term “imitation chocolate” be prominently displayed on the front of product packs, according to two government officials and documents reviewed by Mint.
The move is intended to help consumers easily spot products with vegetable fats such as palm oil and hydrogenated fats, popularly termed Dalda or vanaspati ghee and medically identified as a harmful dietary fat.
Under current Indian standards, such substitutes are allowed to comprise up to 35% of chocolate products—far above the 5% limit permitted internationally for real chocolate.
However, this distinction is rarely communicated clearly to consumers.
Under the new proposal, manufacturers will be required to disclose the use of vegetable fats on the front of the pack and not in fine print at the back.
The font size of these declarations will be proportionate to the brand logo and placed prominently on the front panel to ensure immediate visibility.
“Imitation chocolate means it is like chocolate, but it's not chocolate. Today if you look in the market, 80% is imitation chocolate being sold. It should be clearly visible on the packaging whether it's chocolate or imitation chocolate,” said a government official cited above requesting anonymity.
While the domestic industry has suggested terms such as “confection,” the regulator prefers a more direct approach for the Indian market, where literacy and awareness levels vary.
“By moving these declarations from the fine print on the back to the front of the packaging, the FSSAI aims to ensure an informed choice. The matter is under extensive stakeholders’ consultation involving various ministries and consumer organizations,” the official added.
India’s chocolate market is currently dominated by major players including Mondelez India, the maker of Cadbury Dairy Milk and 5 Star; Nestlé, which sells KitKat and Munch; and Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (Amul) with its range of dark and milk chocolates.
Other companies active in the retail chocolate market include Hershey India, Mars Wrigley, and Ferrero India, known for products such as Ferrero Rocher.
Premium brands like Amul (Dark Chocolate), Pascati, and Mason & Co typically use 100% cocoa butter instead of vegetable fats. These "real" chocolates often start at ₹80 to ₹250, significantly higher than the ₹5 to ₹10 price point of mass-market "imitation" brands.
Mondelez India and Mars Wrigley declined to comment. Queries sent to Nestlé, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, Hershey India, Mars Wrigley, and Ferrero India on Friday did not elicit any response.
Queries emailed to the spokespersons of India’s health and family welfare ministry and FSSAI on 8 March also remained unanswered.
Public health experts say cheaper chocolate substitutes may rely on fats that are less healthy.
Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, former president at the Indian Medical Association (IMA), pointed to the danger of trans fats to cardiac health.
“…cheaper alternatives use various vegetable oils and trans fats instead of cocoa butter as the main fat. Trans fats are not healthy for the heart and have actually been banned in some developed countries,” he said. “Imitation chocolate contains cocoa powder and other flavouring agents along with extra sugar, which often masks the deficiencies.”
Real chocolate, in contrast, has some nutritional benefits from flavonoids and other natural antioxidants, Dr Jayadevan added.
India has an annual cocoa demand of about 100,000 metric tonnes, with chocolate manufacturers accounting for nearly 90% of consumption.
Domestic production stood at about 32,000 metric tonnes in 2024-25 and is expected to reach 35,000 metric tonnes in 2025-26, according to Directorate of Cashewnut and Cocoa Development (DCCD), Kochi, a nodal agency under the Union ministry of agriculture.
Domestic demand for cocoa is rising steadily on the back of demand from the chocolate and confectionery industry. "About 80% of the output is retained for domestic use as local processors absorb most of the supply. Further to meet the domestic demand, we import cocoa from African countries,” said Dr Femina, director at DCCD, Kochi.
India imported $380 million worth of cocoa in FY25, equivalent to 110,000 metric tonnes, data from ministry of commerce and industry showed.
Cocoa is a key commercial plantation crop and is gaining importance in India due to its ability to grow alongside other plantation crops. Its cultivation is concentrated in southern states—particularly Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu—owing to favourable climatic conditions.
Stay updated with the latest Trending, India , World and US news.
Download the Mint app and read premium stories
AI Description
The article discusses the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India's (FSSAI) proposal for new labeling rules to distinguish genuine chocolate from imitation products. This initiative aims to clarify the composition of chocolate products in India.