India’s Central Consumer Protection Authority has imposed a penalty of Rs 1 lakh on a health and wellness firm for running deceptive advertisements that promoted green coffee extract products for weight reduction, detoxification, and blood sugar control. The regulatory body also instructed the company to immediately withdraw the promotional campaigns across all print and electronic platforms.
The directive, issued on October 5, followed hearings presided over by Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare and Commissioner Anupam Mishra. The proceedings originated from a grievance filed by a consumer organisation, which flagged the widespread distribution of green coffee powders and capsules promoted as dietary supplements for weight management without verifiable scientific backing.
In its findings, the consumer watchdog noted that the company had misrepresented the natural properties of the product and exaggerated its characteristics through marketing taglines claiming benefits for insulin function, glucose regulation, and detoxing. The authority determined that the promotional strategy amounted to an unfair trade practice aimed at exploiting consumer vulnerabilities under the guise of wellness.
Absence of Traditional and Scientific Endorsement
During the proceedings, the regulator consulted the Union Ministry of Ayush, which confirmed that green coffee extract is not recorded in any of the authoritative classical texts of Ayurveda, Siddha, or Unani recognised under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
A formal inquiry further revealed that the firm had advertised green coffee bean products by highlighting weight loss solely under the branding of “green,” while omitting any actual properties of coffee. Although the company responded to a show-cause notice by asserting that external studies supported green coffee’s metabolic benefits and that it maintained an internal ethics and compliance committee, an official investigation found these claims unsubstantiated.
The investigative report concluded that the firm failed to provide independent clinical trial data or product-specific research. The studies submitted by the company acknowledged small sample sizes and limited data, rendering them inconclusive and incapable of establishing a direct link to the product or its recommended intake.
Company Defense and Market Operations
Appearing on behalf of the company, advocate Pratyush Kumar Yadav submitted that the formulation was an approved nutraceutical supplement covered under relevant regulatory standards and held a valid manufacturing and sales licence from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. Counsel informed the bench that the recommended dosage was one tablet daily, adding that manufacturing had ceased in 2025 and that the firm had initiated requests with online marketplaces to delist the item.
According to sales disclosures submitted to the regulator, the company sold 3,318 units of the supplement, generating a total revenue of Rs 6.54 lakh.
The consumer watchdog dismissed the company’s contentions, observing that the relied-upon literature openly conceded that efficacy could not be conclusively proved. The authority further noted that despite halting production in 2025, the firm continued to derive commercial gain by maintaining active digital listings on e-commerce portals and using interactive stock notifications to preserve consumer interest.
