The Delhi High Court has pulled up Patanjali Ayurved for airing an advertisement promoting its chyawanprash that appeared to discredit other brands in the market, including Dabur India Limited. The bench, comprising Justice Anish Dayal, questioned Patanjali’s messaging, particularly the line suggesting that all other chyawanprash products were “dhoka” (deceptive), calling it misleading and disparaging.

The case arose from a plea filed by Dabur India, alleging that Patanjali’s latest commercial for its chyawanprash implied that rival products were inferior or fraudulent. The ad featured Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, with the tagline suggesting that “ordinary chyawanprash” was ineffective compared to Patanjali’s product. The Court observed that such an advertisement went beyond permissible comparative marketing and amounted to an attack on competitor credibility.

During the hearing, the Court noted that while companies are entitled to promote their own products, they must not defame or demean others in doing so. “How can you call everyone else ‘dhoka’? You can’t suggest that others are cheating consumers just because your product is different,” Justice Dayal remarked. The Court highlighted that freedom of commercial speech does not extend to making sweeping, unsubstantiated claims against competitors.

The bench also referenced earlier rulings on comparative advertising, affirming that a company may emphasize the superiority of its goods but cannot imply that competing products are substandard. It directed Patanjali to review the content of its commercial to ensure compliance with fair advertising practices and avoid statements that may mislead the public.

This development follows a series of similar cases between Dabur and Patanjali concerning product marketing and authenticity claims. The judgment reinforces that brand rivalry in India’s FMCG sector must remain within the bounds of ethical advertising, where creativity and competition coexist without misinformation or market denigration.

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