Survey Reveals Urban Indian Concerns Over Ghee Adulteration

A recent nationwide survey conducted by LocalCircles has unveiled a significant trust deficit among urban Indian households concerning the purity of ghee, a staple in traditional diets. The survey, which aggregated over 91,000 responses from more than 18,000 urban households across 293 districts, indicates that 60% of consumers are either only partially confident or not confident at all about the safety and purity of ghee available in the market.

This concern persists despite a growing demand for ghee, fueled by a revival of traditional wellness practices and dietary trends. About 38% of respondents expressed high confidence in the ghee they purchase, whereas 62% remain anxious due to reports of adulteration.

In response to these concerns, the survey found that 89% of urban households prefer to buy packaged, branded ghee, while only 10% purchase loose, unbranded ghee from local vendors. Additionally, 22% of the households make ghee at home from milk cream.

Brand reputation is critical, with 76% of respondents prioritizing trusted labels and 66% considering verified purity as their main purchasing criteria. The distrust is further justified by recent enforcement actions by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which dismantled a counterfeit ghee network in mid-June 2026, seizing over 6,500 liters of adulterated product.

Despite its importance in cooking, many households limit ghee usage due to its higher cost compared to other edible oils. Approximately two-thirds of urban homes consume less than one kilogram of ghee monthly.

Consumer advocacy groups are calling for reforms, including more frequent third-party testing and stricter penalties for adulteration to restore trust in ghee quality.