Fact Check: Video warning about China-made Amul butter packet in market makes false claim

A video of a man attempting to differentiate between two Amul butter packets is viral on WhatsApp and Facebook. The man tries to warn the public on the differences between an authentic India-made Amul butter packet and a counterfeit China-made Amul butter packet.

The caption shared along with the video reads, “*Duplicate Made in China Amul Butter has come in the market. Everyone must watch this video before buying Amul Butter, then be careful while buying Amul Butter. (sic)

FACT CHECK:

A keyword search for “Amul Butter,” “China” and “Fake” did not lead to any credible news reports suggesting the production and sale of any recent fake Amul product in the market.

The man in the video attempted to differentiate the two packets based on their packaging design. He begins by pointing out the difference in placement of the green dot (signifying that the product is vegetarian) on the packages. He says that the alleged fake product has marked the green dot in the front whereas the original product has it at the back. He then points out the missing Indian government seal on the fake product and also highlights the difference of style in listing the nutritional value information between the two products. The man further tries to highlight the colour differentiation between the two products. However, this cannot be decided upon as the lighting and camera exposure is faulty.

In reply to the viral video, Amul issued a statement on February 15 clarifying that it was fabricated, and that “both packets of Amul Butter shown in the video are genuine and manufactured in India by Amul.”

The cooperative stated, “Both packets of Amul Butter shown in the video are genuine and manufactured in India by Amul. As per the advisory of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, all new dairy products must show the veg logo on the front of the pack. The video clipping shows comparison between the earlier pack and new pack of Amul Butter and has been used to create misinformation and spread fear and concern among consumers.”

With this, it is clear that the viral video made as a public services announcement warning people on fake Amul product is misleading. Both products shown in the viral video are genuine and made in India by the dairy cooperative.