Counterfeit and grey-market supplements are a real problem in India. Fakes usually copy the tub and label well enough to fool a quick glance, so the only reliable protection is knowing what to check. These are the same checks we walk customers through at our Koramangala store.
1. Buy from an authorised seller
This matters more than any home test. Brands and their official importers supply a known network of stores and marketplaces. Unknown Instagram sellers, gym counters with no bill, and listings far below everyone else's price are where most fakes come from. If you're not sure, ask the seller who they buy from and whether they can give you a GST invoice.
2. Look for the importer label
Every imported food supplement sold legally in India has to carry the Indian importer's name and address along with their FSSAI logo and licence number. It's usually a printed sticker on the back or side of the tub. No importer details, or a sticker that looks hand-stuck over another one, is a red flag.
3. Check the FSSAI licence number
The FSSAI number on the label should be a 14-digit licence number. You can look up the licence holder on FSSAI's public licence search (FoSCoS) to confirm it belongs to a real, registered importer.
4. Check the seal
Genuine tubs have an outer seal around the lid and an inner foil seal under it. Both should be intact, evenly glued and printed where the brand prints them. A loose, crumpled or missing inner seal means the tub may have been opened and refilled.
5. Use the authenticity code if there is one
Many brands now add a scratch code, QR code or hologram that you can verify on their website or by SMS. If the brand you're buying offers one, use it. A code that has "already been verified" on a tub you just opened is a warning sign.
6. Match the batch number, dates and MRP
Batch number, manufacturing date, expiry date and MRP should be printed clearly and consistently on the label and base of the tub. Smudged, reprinted or missing dates, or an MRP sticker on top of another MRP, are common signs of tampering.
7. Look closely at print quality
Put the tub next to a photo on the brand's official website. Fakes often have slightly off colours, blurry text, spelling mistakes, a different font or a lid that doesn't sit quite right.
8. Be suspicious of prices that are too good
Supplement margins aren't huge. If a 5 lb tub of a premium brand is going for far less than every authorised seller, there's usually a reason. Real discounts exist, but they're rarely 50–60% on flagship products.
What about home tests?
You'll see videos about burning protein, mixing it in hot water or checking how it foams. None of these are reliable: genuine proteins behave differently depending on the type, flavour and additives. Use the label and seller checks above instead.
Still not sure?
Bring the product to our store or send us clear photos of the label, seal and base on WhatsApp. We'll tell you what we see. Everything we sell comes through Muscle & Strength India's official supply chain from authorised importers, so you don't have to guess.