India's advertising watchdog has raised the compliance bar for food brands — and the clock is ticking. On 8 May 2026, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) published its Draft Guidelines for Responsible Labelling of Synthetically Generated Content in Advertising — its most significant update in years. These guidelines are aligned with MeitY's amendment to the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules on 10 February 2026, which formally defined "Synthetically Generated Information" (SGI) and made AI labelling a legal requirement across digital platforms.
At Sociapa, we work with food and FMCG brands across categories — Apis, Pansari, Bonn, La Americana and more. Over the past few weeks, one question has come up repeatedly from client teams: how do we stay compliant with the new AI rules while still making great content? This post answers that, end to end.
ASCI is not banning AI in advertising. The framework is risk-based — it mandates transparency wherever AI-generated content could materially influence a consumer's purchase decision. The question isn't whether you used AI. It's whether the AI content could mislead a consumer about the product they'll actually receive.
Every AI-assisted food brand creative falls into one of three buckets under the new ASCI framework:
Creative visualisation is everything your brand does to present its food or product visually — photography, pack shots, styled shots, Reels, Stories, and thumbnails. Under ASCI's Chapter III (Honest Advertising), the visual must match what the consumer can reasonably expect to receive.
Under ASCI rules, both the food brand and the advertising agency are jointly liable for creative visualisation violations. If a post lacks the veg logo, shows exaggerated food, or uses undisclosed AI imagery — ASCI can act against both. At Sociapa, we build compliance checkpoints into every food brand creative brief.
| Zone / Placement | What Must Appear | Format | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corner (bottom-left or top-right) | Veg / non-veg symbol | Static overlay, 32×32 px minimum | Mandatory |
| On / near hero food shot | "Serving Suggestion" text | Min 8pt, legible, not buried | Mandatory if styled |
| Caption / description | Declaration text + #Ad label | Visible above "more" fold | Mandatory |
| Any AI-generated visual frame | AI disclosure label | "Image / Video created using AI" | If medium risk |
| TV / video end card | FSSAI declaration | Min 3 seconds, min 24pt font | Mandatory |
| Claim area | Audited source citation | Min 8pt, within 12 months | If claim is made |
Synthetic visualisation means any image, video, or audio-visual in an online creative that has been AI-generated or materially altered by AI to appear real — AI food photography, AI product shots, AI sizzle and steam, virtual influencers, AI voice-overs, AI-generated environments, and AI before/after content.
Before publishing any AI-assisted creative, run this three-question check:
Q1. Is the AI use central to the ad's persuasive messaging — or does it materially influence whether someone buys the product?
Q2. Would a consumer feel misled if they discovered AI was used to create or alter this visual?
Q3. Does the synthetic visual show performance, results, or product quality the actual product cannot replicate?
Yes to Q1 or Q2 → disclosure label mandatory.
Yes to Q3 → visual must be removed. A label does not make it compliant.
| Situation | Prescribed Label | Where to Place It |
|---|---|---|
| Fully AI-generated product / food image | "Image created using AI" | On the creative near the image — not just in caption |
| AI-generated Reel or product video | "Video created using AI" | On-screen text, first 3 seconds + persistent throughout |
| AI-enhanced product image (materially altered) | "Image enhanced using AI" | Embedded in creative; also recommended in caption |
| AI-enhanced video (materially altered) | "Video enhanced using AI" | On-screen text overlay throughout |
| AI-cloned or synthetic voice-over | "Voice created using AI" | On-screen text or audio disclaimer at start |
| Virtual / AI influencer presenting product | "This is a virtual AI-generated persona" | At very start of content — prominent, not buried |
| AI-generated product demo or result visual | "Demonstration created using AI — results may vary" | Adjacent to demo visual, clearly visible |
| Paid AI product recommendation | "Sponsored by [Brand Name]" | Prominent caption disclosure per ASCI influencer rules |
Adding a disclosure label does not make a prohibited synthetic visual compliant. If your AI food image exaggerates what the actual product looks like, the label doesn't fix it — the visual must be replaced. Labelling is required in addition to honest advertising, not instead of it. (Source: ASCI Draft AI Guidelines 2026, Section 4)
Alongside the new AI rules, the FSSAI veg logo mandate applies to every food brand creative. No platform exemption, no format exemption, no AI exemption.
Solid green filled circle inside a green square border · Colour: Pantone 361 C / #2E7D32 · Min digital: 24×24 px · Min print: 3×3 mm · No gradients · No animation · No colour variations · White or light background only
All vegetarian food product advertising in India must carry the following verbatim declaration, as prescribed under FSSAI Packaging & Labelling Regulations 2011:
"This is a 100% vegetarian product. All ingredients used in the manufacture of this product are of vegetarian origin. No animal-derived ingredients, additives, or processing aids have been used. The green symbol displayed on this advertisement is the prescribed mark under the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011, issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)."
TV commercials: Minimum 3 seconds on-screen at ad end. Legible sans-serif, minimum 24pt. White or black text on solid background.
Digital / social media: In creative body or caption. Minimum 8pt / 10px. Must not be cut off by "more" truncation.
The consultation window has closed but final guidelines are imminent — expected Q3 2026. Here's the six-step action plan:
Our team has been building compliant food brand campaigns for Apis, Pansari, Bonn & more. We build compliance into every brief — so your creative team can focus on great content, not compliance risk.
Get in Touch with Sociapa →Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The ASCI AI guidelines referenced are in draft form as of June 2026 and subject to change post-consultation. Brands should seek independent legal counsel and monitor ASCI's official communications for the finalised guidelines before making compliance decisions.