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Food safety officials have seized around 18,000 boxes of liquor bottles from a Diageo-owned unit in Bengaluru over alleged violations related to mandatory recycled plastic markings on PET bottles.
The action was taken during an inspection of the United Spirits factory last week, according to The Indian Express. Officials found that bottles identified as being made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) did not carry the required symbol indicating that the recycled plastic was suitable for food use.
The seized products are worth around 1.6 million USD, according to government documents. The action primarily involved smaller 180-ml plastic bottles and affected more than six brands, including DSP Black Deluxe Whisky, Smirnoff Zesty Lime Triple Distilled Flavoured Vodka and VAT 69 blended Scotch whisky. Most of Diageo's larger bottles are made of glass.
According to a government memo, officials were informed during the inspection that the company was using recycled plastic bottles. However, the required markings were not found on the bottles. The findings raised concerns over food safety, misleading declarations and misbranding, particularly in relation to the safety of the finished alcoholic beverages, the memo said.
Diageo India confirmed that some of its bottles had been quarantined by the authorities pending further directions. United Spirits, Diageo's India unit, said the bottles had been sourced from a recycler approved by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and that the suppliers had conducted the mandatory tests.
“Our products are completely safe for consumption … We are engaging with FSSAI for further direction on this matter,” United Spirits said in a statement to Reuters.
The seizure comes as the FSSAI has stepped up scrutiny of liquor companies over labelling, flavouring and other compliance issues.
Diageo has faced regulatory scrutiny in recent weeks over claims made on some of its whisky labels. On August 8, Reuters reported that the FSSAI had questioned a claim on one of Diageo's top-selling whiskies that it was “matured in American oak casks”.
A government notice dated July 20 said the product contained grain neutral spirit as its second ingredient after demineralised water, with a major portion consisting of non-matured spirit. The regulator said the claim that the complete alcohol was matured in wood casks could mislead consumers.
United Spirits said it remained committed to quality standards and was engaging with the FSSAI over its labelling concerns.
The regulator has also taken action against some Diageo products over alleged use of artificial flavouring. Sales of Royal Challenge Whisky made in Madhya Pradesh and Antiquity Blue Whisky, among other products, have been prohibited in certain states, along with some whisky and rum brands made by Indian company Inbrew.
The FSSAI has also questioned Diageo's use of the term “Scotch” on the label of Royal Challenge, saying the description did not clearly communicate what type of Scotch was used.
Diageo is the world's largest spirits maker and owns brands including Johnnie Walker, Baileys, Captain Morgan and Smirnoff. India is one of its key markets, with the company recording around 3 USD billion in revenue in the country in the year ended March 2026.
