The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) imposed a penalty of ₹1,00,000 on Mrs. Bectors Food Specialities Ltd. by an order dated June 9, 2026, for marketing its English Oven bread as ‘100% Atta Bread’ and ‘100% Whole Wheat Bread’ when the product contained only 87% whole wheat flour.
The order was passed by CCPA Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare and Commissioner Anupam Mishra, according to LiveLaw. The authority also directed the company to immediately discontinue the misleading advertisements across all print, electronic, and social media platforms.
Background: How We Got Here
The CCPA took cognizance of the matter suo motu after noticing an advertisement published in the Hindustan Times (Delhi) on September 13, 2024 for Mrs. Bector’s English Oven ‘100% Wheat Bread’. Two product variants carried on their labels wheat content of 73% and 87% respectively, according to Bar & Bench.
The case was registered as F. No. CCPA-2/72/2024-CCPA [E-35629]. Following the advertisement, the CCPA issued a letter to FSSAI on October 4, 2024 seeking comments on the regulatory compliance of the claims, per TaxGuru.
- On November 14, 2024, FSSAI responded via letter confirming the product name ‘English Oven 100% Atta Bread’ was “totally misleading” because the product contained only 87% whole wheat flour.
- FSSAI clarified that while the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 require whole wheat bread to contain at least 75% whole wheat flour, those regulations do not permit manufacturers to describe products as ‘100% Whole Wheat Bread’, according to LiveLaw.
- CCPA issued a notice to the company on March 1, 2025, though it was reportedly not received by the company. Hearings were held on February 19, 2026 and April 23, 2026, when company representatives appeared.
- The CCPA’s DG (Investigation) report dated January 5, 2026 noted that despite regulatory proceedings, the company continued to market the product as ‘100% Whole Wheat Bread’ and ‘100% Atta Bread’ across packaging, social media, and e-commerce platforms, as reported by LawStreet.
- By April 23, 2026, videos carrying the ‘100%’ claims had recorded a cumulative viewership of over 50 lakh views, per TaxGuru.
The Ruling — Key Findings
The CCPA held that the term ‘100%’ is an absolute numerical qualifier that cannot be used loosely or treated as a marketing slogan. The authority found the advertisements violated the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and the Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements, 2022.
In its order, the CCPA stated: “The use of the qualifier ‘100%’ is absolute, unequivocal, and admits of no dilution or interpretative flexibility.” The authority further observed: “A product containing 87% wheat flour, by the Opposite Party’s own admission, falls short of the literal and ordinary meaning of ‘100%’, thereby rendering the claim factually incorrect.”
Crucially, during proceedings, the company itself admitted that its bread products contained 87% whole wheat flour, not 100%, according to Bar & Bench.
The company had argued that the phrase ‘100% Atta’ was intended only to indicate that wheat flour was the sole grain source and that no refined flour (maida) was used. The CCPA rejected this argument entirely.
The authority held that the combined use of ‘100% Whole Wheat Bread’ and ‘Zero Maida’ or ‘No Maida’ on packaging created a cumulative impression that the bread consisted entirely of whole wheat flour, as reported by Bar & Bench. The CCPA also held that the advertiser’s intent is irrelevant when a claim is capable of creating a false impression in the mind of an average consumer, and rejected good faith as a defence.
The CCPA directed Mrs. Bectors to submit a compliance report within 15 days of the order, confirming discontinuation of all such advertisements, according to LiveLaw.
Reactions & What’s Next
The company’s defence — that ‘100% Atta’ was a grain-source qualifier rather than a wholeness claim — was squarely rejected by the authority. No further appeal or response from Mrs. Bectors Food Specialities Ltd. has been reported in the sources at the time of writing.
The CCPA’s enforcement sweep did not stop at Mrs. Bectors. A separate CCPA order dated June 18, 2026 also penalised Storia Foods and Beverages Pvt. Ltd. for similarly misleading ‘100%’ claims on juice and coconut water products, with both companies fined ₹1 lakh each in the same enforcement sweep publicly announced on June 21–22, 2026, per LawStreet.
The company is required to submit a compliance report within 15 days of the June 9, 2026 order. No next hearing date has been reported, as the order is final at the CCPA level.
Full coverage: LiveLaw. More legal news at The Courtroom.
Disclaimer
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws may change or vary by case — consult a qualified lawyer before acting. The Courtroom is not liable for any reliance on this content.
