Fake Expiry Dates and Labels Found on Exported Food Products in India

A major food relabelling scandal has come to light in India, where Maharashtra officials discovered fake expiry dates and altered nutrition labels on branded products meant for export.

The operation was uncovered at a warehouse in Navi Mumbai, which housed nearly 5,000 cartons of consumer goods from top brands such as PepsiCo, Nestle, Unilever, and Coca-Cola.

Most of the products were either expired or close to expiry, with many Kurkure and Maggi packets having their original dates removed. The officials found chemicals used to erase dates from packaging and machines to print replacement labels.

Altered nutrition labels were also discovered on products such as PepsiCo's Kurkure pack, which had a bilingual label in English and French, reducing the stated quantity of cereal products by 10% and changing the number of calories and serving size.