Mohan Meakin has agreed to remove the “7 years old blended” claim from Old Monk packaging and prominently disclose the presence of added flavours on revised labels, following objections from FSSAI over the product's composition and labelling.
FSSAI questioned the ageing claim because matured rum spirit reportedly accounts for less than 5% of the blend, with neutral, unmatured spirit forming the principal component. The regulator argued that this could give consumers a misleading impression about the product's ageing.
The Bombay High Court has not granted interim relief against the Maharashtra sales prohibition. The court also raised concerns that disclosures about added flavours on the existing packaging were difficult for ordinary consumers to identify.
For Mohan Meakin, the revised labelling could help address the immediate compliance issue, but the sales halt remains in effect. The company has been directed to submit a fresh digitally printed label for review, with the matter scheduled for September 3.
