IFBA releases a white paper on the issue of counterfeit & spurious food products on the occasion of the World Food Safety Day

On the occasion of World Food Safety Day on 7th June when the theme is "Prepare for Unexpected", Ind Food & Beverage Association (IFBA) released an insightful white paper titled “Spurious and Counterfeit Food Products: An Industry Perspective on Measures and Handling”. The comprehensive report was presented to Smt. Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (MoCA). The report uncovers the pervasive challenges posed by food fraud, specifically spurious and counterfeit food products and offers strategic insights and measures for combating this pressing issue. The report is highly insightful and intended for all stakeholders including the Consumers, Industry and Policymakers.

Nidhi Khare, secretary, MoCA, said, “In recent years, the incidents of food fraud have increased significantly, posing serious risks to consumers, industries and public health. The spurious and counterfeit products are a big menace in every sector and we at Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) work diligently to create awareness to protect the consumers from such activities. I am pleased that IFBA members have come together to bring out this white paper with multifaceted approach where in consumers, policy makers, and industry will be jointly tasked to resolve this pressing issue.”

Deepak Jolly, chairperson, IFBA, mentioned, “As the global food and beverage industry grapples with the escalating threat of spurious and counterfeit products, Ind Food & Beverage Association (IFBA) remains at the forefront of safeguarding consumers’ interest by creating consumer awareness in all matters pertaining to food safety and food regulatory compliance. Through the release of this white paper, we reaffirm our commitment of promoting food safety, consumer trust, and industry integrity. We are sure that the report would be highly helpful in addressing the growing threat of spurious and counterfeit products effectively.”

Authored by members of IFBA Focus Group on “Spurious and Counterfeit Products” led by Smita Gaikwad, Ferrero India and with insightful inputs from Coca-Cola, Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale, Nourishco Beverages and Glanbia Performance Nutrition, the white paper suggests a phased-driven approach that can be adopted to regulate the issue and effectively address to safeguard consumer health, protect legitimate businesses, and strengthen the integrity of the food supply chain, ensuring a safer and more reliable market for all stakeholders.