The Delhi High Court has sought responses from authorities over allegations that non-dairy substitutes are being sold as paneer.
Why Has the Matter Reached the High Court?
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday, October 14, issued notices to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the Central Government and the Delhi Government on a public interest litigation seeking clearer disclosure of non-dairy substitutes sold or served as paneer.
The petition raises concerns that consumers may unknowingly purchase food prepared using dairy analogues instead of genuine paneer.
The petitioners argued that paneer is a standardised dairy product under food safety regulations, whereas dairy analogues contain non-milk ingredients and do not have the same nutritional value.
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What Are the Petitioners Demanding?
The petition seeks directions requiring hotels, restaurants, caterers, eateries, cloud kitchens and e-commerce food businesses to clearly disclose when non-dairy substitutes are used in their products.
According to the petitioners, customers ordering paneer dishes currently have no reliable way of knowing whether the food contains actual paneer or a dairy analogue. They maintained that consumers should be able to make informed purchasing decisions and should not unknowingly receive products containing vegetable fats, vegetable oils or other non-milk ingredients in place of essential milk constituents.
What Has the High Court Directed?
A bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Nitin W. Sambre and Justice Sanjay Singh issued notices on the petition filed by Ridhima Singh and Avlokiteshwar Padmapani Sidharth. The court directed the FSSAI, Centre and Delhi Government to submit their replies within six weeks.
The petitioners also sought urgent sampling and testing of paneer products during the festive season. Responding to this request, the bench observed that authorities were already conducting such checks and had submitted relevant statistics.
What Action Has Been Sought Against Non-Dairy Paneer?
The petition referred to measures taken in Gujarat, Punjab, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra against non-dairy paneer. It sought directions to prevent the manufacture, supply, sale or service of dairy analogue paneer in Delhi.
The proceedings centre on whether consumers receive sufficient information about the ingredients used in food sold as paneer. The court has sought responses from the authorities, and the allegations remain subject to judicial examination.
The case raises an important question about food transparency. Consumers may knowingly choose non-dairy alternatives, but clear disclosure is essential when a product is presented as paneer. Accurate labelling and ingredient information can help customers distinguish genuine dairy products from substitutes and make informed decisions.
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