Supplement ads in India: what you can and can't claim

Supplement brands in India face two sets of rules at once: Indian law and advertising codes, and Meta's own ad policies. Break either and your ad gets rejected, your account gets restricted or worse. The good news is that the strongest supplement ads rarely need risky claims.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Have a lawyer or regulatory expert check your claims before you launch.

The rules that apply

• [FSSAI](https://www.fssai.gov.in/) rules cover health supplements and nutraceuticals, including what labels and ads can claim.
• The ASCI code from the Advertising Standards Council of India requires claims to be honest and backed by evidence.
• Consumer protection guidelines on misleading ads apply to all advertisers, including D2C brands.
• [Meta's advertising standards](https://transparency.meta.com/policies/ad-standards/) restrict health claims, before-and-after images and copy that points at personal health conditions.

Claims that get ads in trouble

• Saying a product cures, treats or prevents a disease
• Before-and-after body or weight-loss photos
• Guaranteed results or fixed timelines, such as "lose 5 kg in 2 weeks"
• Copy that implies you know the viewer's condition, such as "Struggling with your diabetes?"
• Fake doctors, fake reviews or AI people presented as real customers

Angles that still sell

• Routine. "One scoop with breakfast." Show how easily the product fits into a day.
• Ingredients. Explain what's inside and where it comes from, without promising medical outcomes.
• Taste and format. Gummies, flavours and mixability are real reasons people switch brands.
• Transparency. Lab testing, clean labels and sourcing build trust you can prove.
• Founder story. Why the brand exists and who it's for.

Writing compliant copy

1. List every claim in the ad, including what the visuals imply.
2. Check each claim against your label approvals and evidence.
3. Replace outcome promises with routine, ingredient or taste language.
4. Keep a record of the evidence behind every claim you keep.

We write supplement ads within these rules from the first draft. See how we work with supplement brands, or read about how many new ads your budget needs.