ASCI finds all 60 reviewed nutraceutical ads in breach of its code, says unproven claims were common

Mumbai: The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has released a report titled "A Pill for Thought: Review of Health and Wellness Claims in Nutraceutical Advertising". It is based on a suo motu examination of nutraceutical advertisements carried out between July and September 2026. The report sets out the time-bound results that can mislead consumers, the way the ads are presented, and the recurring difficulty of substantiating health and wellness claims.

According to Grand View Research, India's nutraceuticals market was worth $38.77 billion in 2025. Rising health awareness and demand for preventive healthcare are expected to take it to $1,151.5 billion by 2033. As the category grows across functional foods, beverages and dietary supplements, advertising plays a larger part in shaping how consumers judge a product's effectiveness.

Of the 61 ads examined, one case is still being processed. All 60 whose processing is complete were found to violate the ASCI code. In 29 of them the advertisers raised no objection. The remaining 31 advertisers challenged the objections but could not provide sufficient evidence for their claims.

Violations were found mainly in claims relating to weight control, anti-ageing, skin lightening, protection from UV and respiratory health. The report also points to flaws in ads claiming to overcome conditions such as asthma, COPD, blood pressure, cholesterol and PCOS. It draws attention to how stated results and misleading visuals can create unrealistic expectations, and how the line between general wellness support and medical treatment can be blurred.

Examples of such claims included "Lose 6 kg in 60 days", "Your thigh fat will disappear in 12 weeks" and "300 per cent stronger skin protection against UV damage". Often there was no solid proof that the finished product delivers the results the ad states, and evidence at the level of ingredients alone was used to support claims for the whole product. Visuals were also overused, with "before and after" comparisons not firmly tied to the product, to highlight claims of quick and visible results.

Three main patterns emerged from the cases. The first was claims made without adequate evidence: advertisers could not produce sufficient clinical evidence or independent test reports proving that the finished product gives the benefits advertised. The second was claiming superiority without a basis for comparison: words such as "faster" and "more effective" suggested the product was better than others, but the basis of the comparison was not always clear or proven.

The third pattern was making promises ahead of the evidence. Ads often claimed benefits without proper substantiation. After ASCI raised objections, advertisers chose to withdraw or modify the ads on their own rather than provide evidence to support their claims.

Manisha Kapoor, CEO and Secretary General of ASCI, said: "Consumers turn to nutraceuticals with great trust, often looking for solutions to problems that directly affect their health and well-being. When ads promise rapid weight loss, holding back advancing ageing or relief from specific ailments, the evidence supporting those claims must be equally strong. Research on an ingredient cannot automatically be used to prove the effectiveness of the final product. As this product category expands, the claims in ads and the available evidence must be in step, so that consumers can make informed decisions and their trust is not put at risk by unrealistic promises that go beyond the evidence."

Through this review, ASCI has underlined again the importance of responsible health and wellness advertising. It says claims should rest on credible evidence, and that the overall impression created by words, visuals and promised results should not mislead. For advertisers, solid substantiation of claims is not merely a legal formality but a basic foundation for protecting consumers and sustaining trust in the nutraceutical category, it says.