Indian versions of Nestlé’s KitKat contain 4.5% cocoa solids, while the milk chocolate used in the Australian variant has at least 22% cocoa, according to a Reuters report.
It also highlighted differences in Nestlé’s Maggi noodles, stating that all Maggi variants sold in India use palm oil, while several versions available in the UK are made with the more expensive sunflower oil. Despite many UK-sold packets being manufactured in India, they feature red front-of-pack labels indicating high salt levels, as per the Reuters investigation.
According to the report, Revant Himatsingka, 34, a former McKinsey management consultant, has posted videos comparing the ingredients used in Nestlé’s KitKat sold in with versions available in Europe and Australia, arguing that the Indian variants are less favourable.
Himatsingka has amassed an audience of more than 5 million followers across YouTube and Instagram. The content creator is popularly known online as “Food Pharmer”.
Himatsingka stated that many Indian consumers believe they are being offered lower-quality products.
The Reuters report said growing consumer preferences are also prompting companies to rethink their products. In 2024, Nestlé announced plans to introduce a sugar-free version of Cerelac in India after activists, including Himatsingka, raised concerns that the company had sold only the sugar-containing variant in the country for five decades.
Nestlé has been offering sugar-free Cerelac in other markets for years.
Himatsingka and Pepsico row
Himatsingka’s content has also led to legal challenges. In 2023, he posted a video questioning the levels of sugar and artificial sweeteners in ’s Sting caffeinated beverage, which is sold as an energy drink and has a significant following among young Indian consumers.
PepsiCo later obtained a Delhi court order directing the removal of the video, arguing that the allegations were untrue and could fuel a campaign against the drink. In July, Indian regulators directed PepsiCo and other companies to stop marketing such products under the “energy drink” category within 90 days.
PepsiCo did not respond to its queries seeking comment.
‘Difficult’ to match international standards on packaging: FSSAI
Industry estimates suggest that around 80% of products in India’s packaged food and beverage market, valued at more than $100 billion, could be classified as high in fat, sugar or salt.
Deepak Jolly of the India Food & Beverage Association (IFBA) said at a meeting with regulators in March that introducing colour-coded warning labels could result in red markings appearing across a large portion of packaged products, as per the report.
(This report is based on a Reuters investigation)
The IFBA, which counts companies such as PepsiCo among its members, told Reuters that the industry is seeking greater clarity from regulators. It said the proposals could potentially result in products such as coconut water carrying “high sugar” warnings despite the sugar being naturally occurring.
Indian regulators have considered measures including prominent colour-coded health warnings and star ratings to indicate the nutritional value of packaged foods since 2017. However, manufacturers are currently required only to provide ingredient lists and basic nutritional information on the back of their packaging.
Health activists campaigning for greater transparency over packaged food products approached the Supreme Court, which in February asked regulators to examine the introduction of warning labels. The court also suggested studying Israel’s use of red-and-green nutritional indicators.
However, following its March meeting with industry representatives, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) moved away from interpretive front-of-pack labelling. In August, the regulator told the Supreme Court that aligning India’s packaging rules with international standards was “difficult”, a position that mirrored concerns raised by the industry.
The stance drew criticism from the judges, who said “the world should know that India is very much concerned about the overall health of its citizens”.
Meanwhile, rising incomes have reportedly been accompanied by growing health awareness among India’s middle-class consumers. According to market research firm Pharmarack, monthly sales of appetite-suppressing weight-loss drugs have increased 400% since early 2025.
