The Bournvita controversy: social media row over high sugar content

Learning outcomes Upon completion of the case study discussion, the students will be able to: Case overview/synopsis Bournvita, a well-known health drink available in the Indian market, was the flagship brand of Mondelez International. The brand faced intense public scrutiny on social media in 2023 after Revant Himatsingka, a health influencer, released a video highlighting the high sugar content in Bournvita, questioning its health claims (NDTV, 2024). The video sparked widespread concern among consumers, raising an alarm and igniting a broader debate on social media about the transparency of promoting products like health drinks for children (Livemint, 2024). Their concerns and complaints finally escalated to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, which compelled Mondelez to remove Bournvita from the health drinks category (Javaid, 2023). In response, Mondelez issued a legal notice to Himatsingka demanding the video’s removal and providing an unconditional apology (Javaid, 2023). Since Himatsingka was unable to pursue a legal battle against the global giant, he complied and issued a public apology. Consequently, the controversy resulted in various stakeholders (like the regulatory authority Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, the Government – Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Supreme Court, industry leaders like Unilever and Cadbury itself) in the Indian economy coming together for some significant measures taken thereof, including the issuance of guidelines for social media influencers to display their credentials before giving any health-related advice. Although Mondelez defended the product, stating its sugar content was within recommended daily limits, the controversy had already taken a toll on public perception (Deep, 2023). Industry experts warned that such incidents could lead to declining consumer trust and further slowdown in the nearly $1bn health food drinks market, which has already been facing stagnation (ET Bureau, 2024). Other experts also opined that such controversy unduly harmed the image of the brand, which had long been established in the Indian market (Shukla, 2023). Market leaders like Horlicks and other players, such as Boost and Complan, too, felt the ripple effects of the growing skepticism. This case study is designed to teach the relevance of ethical marketing practices, appropriate crisis management practices followed by companies promoting products in the Indian market as well as responsible brand evaluation by social media influencers. Complexity academic level The case is suitable for social media marketing, marketing management, consumer behavior and brand management courses at the postgraduate or executive level. Subject code CSS 8: Marketing.