The Delhi High Court has restrained Hindustan Unilever Ltd from publishing "disparaging" commercials against kitchen cleaning liquid 'Dettol Healthy Kitchen' of rival Reckitt Benkciser (India) Ltd to promote its own product 'Vim Liquid'.
"I am of the considered opinion that plaintiff (Reckitt Benkciser) has made out a prima facie case and demonstrated that the irreparable injury and balance of convenience lies with it.
"Therefore, I hereby pass an interim order restraining the defendant (Hindustan Unilever Ltd) ... From publishing the impugned advertisement or any other similar advertisement or depiction aimed at disparaging the goodwill and reputation of the plaintiff's brand Dettol or its product Dettol Healthy Kitchen in all media including print and/or electronic media," Justice M L Mehta said in his interim order.
The court, however, said that at this stage, it has only taken "a prima facie opinion" and did not render "any final finding on the correctness or otherwise of the claims in the advertisement of the defendant."
The Indian arm of UK-based Reckitt Benckiser Group plc, the makers of famous antiseptic brand 'Dettol', had moved the court alleging Hindustan Unilever Ltd had published disparaging commercials against its kitchen cleaning liquid 'Dettol Healthy Kitchen'.
Reckitt Benkciser, in its plea, claimed the 'Dettol Healthy Kitchen' and 'Dettol Antiseptic Liquid' have "entirely different formulations" and the antiseptic liquid contains chloroxylenol, while the kitchen cleaning liquid has Lactic Acid.
