Maggi row: Reliance Retail halts sale of 11 noodle brands from stores

NEW DELHI: Reliance Retail, India’s largest grocery retailer, has decided to temporarily withdraw all 11 brands of instant noodles from its stores across the country in the wake of the ban clamped on Nestle India’s Maggi noodles by some states.

The company, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), runs 2,621 stores in the country across 200 towns.

All the withdrawn products have been returned to the distribution centres and labelled as ‘Not For Sale’, and the designated food safety officers have been informed of the action, the company said in a statement on Friday. According to the company, the decision was based on the health and well-being of customers and unflinching commitment to stock only products of the highest assurance.

“We believe that the uncertainty is unwarranted and undeserved. But it merits the launch of a robust, nationwide process of reassuring ourselves and our valued stakeholders,” said Damodar Mall, CEO, value formats and consumer business, Reliance Retail.