New Delhi: In a recent development, consumer goods giant Dabur has filed a lawsuit against Patanjali Ayurved in the Delhi High Court. The legal action stems from a series of advertisements featuring Baba Ramdev, which Dabur alleges disparage its Chyawanprash products.
Dabur contends that the Patanjali ads misleadingly suggest that only their Chyawanprash is “authentic” or “original,” implicitly implying that other brands, including Dabur’s, are inferior. This, according to Dabur, not only misleads consumers but also tarnishes the reputation of its own well-established Chyawanprash brand, which holds a significant market share of around 61.6%.
Justice Mini Pushkarna of the Delhi High Court has issued a notice to Patanjali Ayurved and scheduled the matter for hearing in late January. While there was an initial suggestion to refer the dispute to mediation, Dabur pressed for immediate relief against the advertising campaign, leading to the court proceeding.
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This is not the first legal battle between these two Ayurvedic giants. In 2017, Dabur successfully challenged Patanjali over similar advertising claims, resulting in a court order restraining Patanjali from airing ads that disparaged Dabur’s products.
Dabur’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate Akhil Sibal, emphasized Patanjali’s history of potentially misleading advertisements, citing a previous Supreme Court contempt petition against the company. Sibal argued that the Drugs and Cosmetics Act outlines specific parameters for Chyawanprash preparation, which should not be undermined by such advertising claims.
On the other hand, Patanjali’s counsel, Senior Advocate Jayant Mehta, sought time to respond to the suit and questioned its maintainability.