Health influencer claims victory as Bournvita reduces sugar content after legal dispute

The battle between an Indian health influencer and Mondelez, the company behind Bournvita, over the high sugar content in the drink earlier this year has now seemingly ended in a victory for the influencer.

Revant Himatsingka, known as FoodPharmer, previously highlighted the high sugar content in April and faced legal action, leading to the removal of his video. However, eight months later, Mondelez decreased the added sugar in Bournvita by 14.4%, marking this reduction as a triumph for nutritional awareness in India.

In an exclusive conversation with NDTV, Himatsingka expressed his perspective on the experience and the significant lessons learned along the way. He emphasised that receiving a legal notice is merely part of the process and expressed his willingness to face such challenges openly: "If you send me a legal notice, I am going to get you publicly noticed."

The health influencer stressed the importance of nutritional education, pointing out his intention to educate people about the significance of food packaging labels.

He noted that despite the seemingly modest 15% reduction in sugar content, the decision by a multinational corporation to make this alteration is noteworthy and could potentially spark similar actions by other companies. Himatsingka highlighted the positive impact, with more parents now scrutinising labels and making conscious dietary choices.

Reflecting on the incident that led to the removal of his video, Himatsingka mentioned the family pressure he faced after leaving a well-paying job in the United States to return to India. Despite succumbing to legal pressure and taking down the video, he received substantial public support, even witnessing a billboard about Bournvita's sugar content in Mumbai.

Asserting his stance against legal threats, Himatsingka affirmed, "I am not afraid of legal notices anymore because I have understood it is part of the process." He highlighted his aim to make brands accountable and not intimidate the public. He advocated for clearer nutritional information on packaging, ensuring consumers can easily discern the health implications of products without requiring a nutritional background.

Regarding Bournvita's claim of sugar content being within the recommended daily limit for children, Himatsingka stressed the importance of awareness and informed choices by parents.

He underscored his mission as one of education rather than targeting specific companies, advocating for nutritional education within school curriculums and clearer packaging information. He highlighted the language barrier on food packaging and suggested implementing QR codes for translations to enhance accessibility to nutritional data.