Dabur moves Delhi HC against Patanjali over Chyawanprash ad

Dabur has filed a legal complaint in the Delhi High Court against Patanjali Ayurved, alleging that the latter’s advertisements unfairly undermine its Chyawanprash products. The consumer goods giant claims that Patanjali’s promotional content makes misleading comparisons that harm its brand reputation, as reported by Bar and Bench.

The legal dispute involves a Patanjali advertisement featuring Baba Ramdev, which Dabur argues misleads consumers by promoting Patanjali’s Chyawanprash as the sole “authentic” or “original” option. Dabur contends that the ad unfairly suggests other brands, including its own, are inferior or lack authenticity.

The Delhi High Court, under Justice Mini Pushkarna, has directed Patanjali Ayurved to respond to Dabur’s legal petition. The court has set a hearing for the case in the final week of January, where it will consider issuing interim orders.

While there was an initial proposal to resolve the matter through mediation, it was ultimately dismissed after Dabur insisted on swift action to address the ongoing advertisement campaign.

Dabur has argued that Patanjali’s advertisement, which has been broadcast over 900 times on TV and featured in newspapers recently, not only misleads consumers but also damages the reputation of competing brands. Highlighting its dominant 61.6% market share in the Chyawanprash sector, Dabur claims that the misleading ad could significantly harm its brand image.

This is not the first time Dabur has clashed with Patanjali over advertising practices. In 2017, Dabur successfully sought a court order preventing Patanjali from airing ads that allegedly disparaged its products. 

Dabur's legal team, led by senior advocate Akhil Sibal, has pointed to Patanjali’s pattern of potentially misleading ads, referencing a prior contempt petition in the Supreme Court. Sibal also cited the Drugs and Cosmetics Act to argue that the preparation of Chyawanprash follows specific guidelines, which should not be undermined in advertisements. In response, Patanjali’s counsel, senior advocate Jayant Mehta, requested more time to address the lawsuit and questioned its validity.