Man warns of ‘dangerous’ palm oil in Kurkure in Delhi vs Bengaluru; PepsiCo responds

A man alleged that Kurkure, the popular finger food by PepsiCo India, contains “very different ingredients” in two cities. He claimed that in Delhi, Kurkure uses “dangerous” Palmolein (palm oil), while a packet from Bengaluru doesn’t.

Palmolein is one of the cheapest, most processed oils available, linked to health risks, he highlighted.

In a viral LinkedIn post, Vedant Khanduja, former Marketer at Ola Electric, said, “Same Kurkure. Two cities. Two very different ingredients. Delhiites, you might be consuming something dangerous.”

Khanduja shared that he bought Kurkure in both cities only to find that the pack he bought in Bengaluru had no Palmolein, but the one in Delhi did. “I read the Kurkure label, no ‘Palmolein’. Back in Delhi, I bought again. This time, Palmolein was right there on the pack,” he wrote.

Concerned about the alleged trend, he asked, “If Bangalore gets a ‘better’ version of Kurkure, why not Delhi, too? Why not everywhere?” He added that it is not just about a snack but “about fairness, transparency, and holding brands accountable.”

Vedant Khanduja lauded Revant Himatsingka, aka influencer Food Pharmer’s hashtag LabelPadhegaIndia, and said that his incident with Kurkure “is proving that the back of the pack tells the truth, while the front just sells instant gratification.”

How did PepsiCo respond?

After Vedant Khanduja questioned that brand’s unfair practice, PepsiCo India reportedly reached out to him to clarify that Palmolein has been removed from all Kurkure batches produced after August.

Therefore, he said, the difference he observed was likely due to older stocks still in the market.

Here’s how netizens reacted:

Social media users were left stunned by the difference and said that manufacturers must be held liable.

“Very true, Vedant! It is a serious issue that we must hold manufacturers liable for,” a user said.

“Such an important observation, Vedant. Every consumer deserves the same quality and fairness,” another added.

“People in Delhi can survive the toxic air … I doubt if non palmolein oil will justify it,” joked a user.

However, a user suggested that it might be related to the brand. “PepsiCo sells Kurkure under brand names.”

“1. Kurkure: Cheaper variant available at local grocery shops etc. ( What you might have bought in Delhi)

2. LEHAR KURKURE: MRP is usually 20% higher than the counterpart. For premium retailers/high traffic locations such as Metro/Railway stations, Mall kiosk etc,” he pointed out.

Meanwhile, a user claimed to have experienced the same with a different brand, “I have seen the difference in ingredients of the Real Juice in what is written on an advertisement of the product on the online app and what we receive.”

Another user suggested that it is best to switch to an alternative snack. “I have shifted to no palm oil and Maida snacks. There are plenty of them out there, just a little more expensive. If we as consumers stop consuming them, they will stop selling them.”