Today, On 3rd July, The Delhi High Court has directed Patanjali to take down advertisements that allegedly disparage Dabur’s Chyawanprash. This interim order came in response to a suit filed by Dabur accusing Patanjali of misleading and negative advertising.
The Delhi High Court issued an interim order instructing Patanjali Ayurved to withdraw its disparaging advertisements targeting Dabur’s Chyawanprash products.
Justice Mini Pushkarna delivered the ruling in response to a lawsuit filed by Dabur against Patanjali, claiming that the latter was promoting misleading advertisements about its Chyawanprash.
The specifics of the court’s order have not yet been released.
The case is now scheduled to be heard by the roster bench on July 14.
The controversy began when Patanjali aired an advertisement featuring its founder, Swami Ramdev, who questioned the credibility of other Chyawanprash products available in the market.
The ad includes the statement,
“Jinko Ayurved aur Vedo ka gyaan nahi, Charak, Sushrut, Dhanwantari aur Chyawanrishi ke parampara mei ‘original’ Chyawanprash kaise bana payenge?”
Dabur also took issue with specific remarks in Patanjali’s advertisements that labeled a 40-herb Chyawanprash as “ordinary.”
This was interpreted as a direct jab at Dabur’s product, which claims to use “40+ herbs” and commands over 60% of the Chyawanprash market share.
Dabur argued that these statements constituted three types of disparagement: misrepresenting Patanjali’s own formula, questioning Dabur’s commitment to Ayurvedic traditions, and branding Dabur’s product as inferior.
Also Read: Dabur Moves To Delhi HC Against Patanjali for Disparaging Chyawanprash Ads
Dabur contended that such advertisements mislead consumers and erode trust in a category of products that are subject to stringent regulatory standards. They emphasized that Chyawanprash is classified as a traditional Ayurvedic medicine, regulated under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, which requires compliance with established formulations based on ancient Ayurvedic texts.
Dabur notified the court that, despite receiving summons, Patanjali Ayurved broadcasted 6,182 advertisements in the preceding weeks.
Dabur claimed that these ads misleadingly asserted that Patanjali’s product contained over 51 herbs, when in fact it only included 47.
The company argued that this constituted the dissemination of false information to consumers.
Dabur India stated during earlier hearings,
“They refer to us as ordinary. They make a market leader ordinary,”
Labeling other brands as ordinary is not only misleading but also damaging, according to Dabur.
The company commands a 61.6% share of the Chyawanprash market.
Additionally, Dabur raised concerns that the advertisement implies health risks associated with using non-Patanjali products, which raises public safety issues.
They referenced previous Supreme Court rulings in contempt cases against Patanjali for similar advertising practices, arguing that the company has a history of such behavior.
Also Read: Kerala Court Issues Arrest Warrant Against Baba Ramdev For Misleading Patanjali Ads
The court has temporarily stayed Patanjali from continuing its campaign.
Dabur was represented by Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi, along with advocates R Jawahar Lal, Anirudh Bakhru, and Meghna Kumar.
Patanjali was defended by Senior Advocates Rajiv Nayar and Jayant Mehta, along with advocates Rohit Gandhi, Simranjeet Singh, Saurabh Seth, Neha Gupta, Rishabh Pant, Yajat Gulia, and Tina Aneja.
Case Title: Dabur India Limited v. Patanjali Ayurved
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