To,
The Chairperson
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
FDA Bhawan near BalBhavan
Kotla Road, New Delhi – 110002
Sub: Take action against Horlicks for promoting ITC’s Classmate and Violating Section 5 of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) 2003: Reg
Dear Sir,
We would like to bring to your notice about a violation that targets children. The violation is by Horlicks Product who have tied with ITC Classmate and promoting the Classmate brand.
In the recent promotional strategy adopted by these two companies, Classmate Notebook is given free with every 200g or 500g of Horlicks product. The product is sold in medical centers, petty shops, supermarkets and in online shopping sites. This promotional strategy is a violation of Section 5 of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003 which specifies that
No person shall, under a contract or otherwise promote or agree to promote the use or consumption of b) any trade mark or brand name of cigarettes or any other tobacco product in exchange for a sponsorship, gift, prize or scholarship given or agreed to be given by another person.
A health drink company is promoting a product of a tobacco company. Every year 10 Lakh Indians die due to Tobacco related diseases. 5500 kids start using tobacco every day. And yet Horlicks chose to promote ITC’s product. This questions the credibility of Horlicks. Their products are no longer safe for the children.
It is the demand of all our supporters that this promotional tactic is stopped. We request you to take action against Horlicks, ban the sale of such products with promotional strategy and also withdraw existing Horlicks Products with which Classmate Notebook is given freely.
Copy To:
- Secretary (Health and Family Welfare), Room no. 156-A, Nirman Bhavan, New Delhi – 110 108
- Director of National Tobacco Control Programme, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Nirman Bhawan. New Delhi 110 108
- The Secretary to Government, Health and Family Welfare Department, Fort St. George, Secretariat, Chennai – 600 009, Tamil Nadu
- The Commissioner Food Safety, Office of the Commissioner of Food Safety, 5th Floor of DMS Office Building, 259, Anna Salai, DMS Campus, Teynampet, Chennai- 600 006
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