FSSAI proposes mandatory labeling for standard drinks, updates wine definitions in draft amendment

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued draft amendments to the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018, proposing new labeling and formulation norms for alcoholic beverages.

FSSAI notifies major amendments to alcoholic beverage standards, expands scope to ready-to-drink and honey wines

The draft, notified on October 30, 2025, seeks public feedback within 60 days from publication in the Official Gazette.

Among the key proposed changes, the FSSAI has moved to make labeling of standard drinks mandatory by substituting the word “may” with “shall” under Part 5, Regulation 5.2. This change is aimed at ensuring better consumer awareness about alcohol content and responsible consumption.

Additionally, the regulator has proposed an update to the sugar content specification for sparkling wines- specifically under the Brut category, allowing a tolerance of 0.3% above the current limit of 1.2% sugar content. This provides producers with a more flexible compliance window while maintaining quality standards.

The draft also recommends removing the phrase “or special wine used” from the section on Wine Based Beverages to streamline classification and avoid ambiguity in product categorization.

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The proposed amendments have been published for stakeholder consultation.

Objections or suggestions can be submitted to the Chief Executive Officer, FSSAI. Once finalized, these amendments are expected to bring greater clarity to labeling standards and compositional requirements for alcoholic beverages in India.