The Bombay High Court has upheld a ban on the sale of certain Old Monk rum variants in Maharashtra, siding with the FSSAI’s concerns over misleading labeling. The manufacturer, Mohan Rocky Springwater Breweries, reports a daily loss of approximately ₹1 crore due to the ongoing prohibition. The company must now secure regulatory clearance for revised packaging before distribution can resume.
The Bombay High Court has rejected an interim plea by Mohan Rocky Springwater Breweries, keeping the sales ban on specific Old Monk rum variants in Maharashtra in place. The court's decision follows objections raised by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regarding the product's marketing practices.
The core of the dispute involves labeling claims such as “7 years old blended” and “very old vatted.” Regulators argued these terms misguide consumers, as the product is primarily made from neutral spirits rather than being aged rum. The FSSAI contended that the beverage should be accurately classified as a “rum-flavoured spirit” rather than rum. Furthermore, the authority flagged that mandatory warnings regarding added artificial flavors were printed in font sizes too small to be easily read, failing to meet public disclosure standards.
For the manufacturer, the impact of the ban is immediate and significant. The company has informed the court that it is facing financial losses of about ₹1 crore for every day that the prohibition continues. Since Mohan Rocky Springwater Breweries is a private, unlisted company, the impact of this revenue loss is concentrated within its own operations, but the case serves as a notable example of the tightening regulatory environment regarding product labeling and transparency in the food and beverage sector.
In response to the court's strict stance, the manufacturer has proposed changes to its packaging, which include removing the contested age-related descriptions and improving the visibility of additive disclosures. The state excise department and the FSSAI are now tasked with reviewing these revisions. The sales ban will remain in effect until these regulators provide formal clearance. The court has scheduled the next judicial review for September 11, where the progress on the packaging revisions will be assessed.