For a parent standing in a pharmacy or scrolling through baby products online, a packet of infant food can look reassuring. It may carry carefully designed packaging, health related words and claims about what the product contains. But when the food is meant for a baby, the question is bigger than which packet looks better.
It is about knowing exactly what is being bought and how it should be used.
That is the thinking behind a new Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration order that has tightened rules for infant foods across the state. The order, issued by FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, covers the manufacture, import, storage, sale, labelling and promotion of infant nutrition products and took effect immediately.
A label is no longer just a label
One of the most noticeable changes concerns what parents see on the front and back of a packet.
Covered products must carry the message “Mother’s Milk Is Best for Your Baby” and include instructions about preparation, the use of boiled water and feeding. The label must also state that the product should be used on the advice of a health worker. For complementary foods, the packaging must say they should be introduced only after six months.
The order also restricts certain descriptions and images. Words such as “humanised”, “maternalised”, “complete food” and “health food” are prohibited, as are pictures of infants or women on the covered products. Claims such as “no added sugar” cannot be used unless they are true and permitted under the rules.
For a parent, this changes something simple but important: the packet is expected to communicate safety and correct use, rather than create an impression of superiority.
No discounts, influencers or free samples
The new order also reaches beyond the packet.
Manufacturers and others covered by the rules cannot advertise infant milk substitutes, infant foods or feeding bottles through advertisements, free samples, gifts, coupons, cashback, discounts, influencer promotions or cross promotions. The restrictions also cover e commerce platforms, social media and messaging applications.
The order further bars benefits such as sponsorships, travel, registration fees, grants or speaker fees to health workers and medical institutions in connection with conferences, seminars, training and similar activities when linked to these products.
What parents should look for
The order applies to manufacturers, brand owners, importers, distributors, retailers, pharmacies, hospitals and e commerce platforms dealing with specified infant nutrition products and feeding bottles. Products must have the required FSSAI licence, while infant milk substitutes, infant foods and feeding bottles must carry the applicable BIS standard mark under the Infant Milk Substitutes Act.
The wider lesson is easy to miss. When a product is meant for a baby, trust should not come from attractive packaging or a promotional claim. It should come from clear information, proper standards and responsible use.
Maharashtra’s latest order attempts to put that principle directly on the shelf, where parents make one of their most important everyday purchases.
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