The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) on Sunday said it has imposed penalties of ₹1 lakh each on Storia Foods and Beverages Pvt Ltd and Mrs Bectors Food Specialities Ltd -- the maker of English Oven bread -- for running misleading advertisements that used the expression "100 per cent" on food products that did not meet that claim.

The authority also directed both companies to immediately pull down the impugned claims from product packaging, official websites and all digital platforms, it said in a statement.

"The expression '100 per cent' is a precise and absolute numerical qualifier and cannot be used loosely, approximately or as a marketing slogan," the CCPA said, adding that any such claim must correspond exactly with the actual composition of the product.

In the absence of any statutory definition permitting a qualified interpretation, the term must be understood in its plain and literal sense by an ordinary consumer.

The CCPA took suo motu cognizance of Storia Foods' advertisements claiming "100 per cent Tender Coconut Water" as well as juices described as 100 per cent pomegranate, mixed fruit, mango and guava chilli. The products were promoted on the company's website, product packaging and across e-commerce platforms, including Amazon, Flipkart, BigBasket, Blinkit, JioMart and Zepto.

Investigators found that the ingredient list for the flagship product told a different story: the drink was made from water and coconut water concentrate (9.6 per cent), reconstituted to be "equivalent" to 100 per cent coconut water. The word "reconstituted" appeared only in fine print in the ingredient panel -- not prominently disclosed alongside the headline claim.

The product also contained the Class II preservative INS 202, which the CCPA said made a concurrent claim of "100 per cent Natural" wholly untenable.

The CCPA examined English Oven advertisements published in a newspaper and across the company's website, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and product packaging.

The ads carried claims such as "100 per cent Atta Bread", "100 per cent Whole Wheat Bread", "Naturally rich in whole grains with 100 per cent whole-wheat flour" and slogans like "The taste of 100 per cent Wholesome Happiness".

Videos carrying these claims had together clocked over 50 lakh views as of April 23, 2026.

During proceedings, the company itself admitted that its bread products contained only 87 per cent whole wheat flour -- a figure the CCPA found irreconcilable with the "100 per cent" claim.

The authority also flagged the simultaneous use of "100 per cent Whole Wheat Bread" and "Zero Maida" on packaging, noting that the combination created a cumulative -- and false -- impression that the product was composed entirely of whole wheat flour.

Notably, Mrs Bectors itself acknowledged during the hearing that the dual representation appeared "redundant in nature".

Mrs Bectors argued that "100 per cent Atta" was intended only to convey that wheat flour was the sole grain source used, not a claim about the total composition.

The CCPA rejected the defence outright. Advertisements, it held, must be assessed from the perspective of a reasonable consumer -- and technical or post-facto interpretations offered by advertisers cannot override the impression created on buyers. If a representation is capable of misleading consumers, the advertiser's intent is irrelevant.

The CCPA reiterated that all claims relating to composition, quality, nutrition or health benefits must be truthful, verifiable and non-deceptive, and said it would continue enforcement action wherever consumers are misled about the nature or composition of products.

Both orders were passed under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and the Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements, 2022.

Published on June 21, 2026