Delhi High Court restrains Patanjali from disparaging Dabur Chyawanprash in ads

The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued an interim injunction restraining Patanjali Ayurved from airing advertisements that allegedly disparage Dabur's Chyawanprash. Justice Mini Pushkarna allowed Dabur's plea, which contended that "Patanjali Special Chyawanprash" ads were specifically targeting DABUR Chyawanprash and other Chyawanprash products in general, by claiming that "no other manufacturer has the knowledge to prepare Chyawanprash," thereby constituting generic disparagement.

Dabur's petition further argued that the advertisements made "false and misleading statements" in comparison to an Ayurvedic drug/medicine. It highlighted the use of the prefix "ordinary" with respect to all other Chyawanprash, implying their inferiority. The petition also claimed that Patanjali made "untrue" assertions that other manufacturers lacked knowledge of Ayurvedic texts and the traditional formulae used to prepare Chyawanprash. Dabur, which holds a significant market share in the Chyawanprash segment, emphasized that such claims not only misrepresent Patanjali's own product but also undermine trust in an industry governed by strict regulatory standards.

This legal action comes as Patanjali has faced previous scrutiny regarding its advertisements, including warnings from the Supreme Court over misleading claims against modern medicine. Despite earlier summons issued in December, Dabur informed the court that Patanjali had continued to air thousands of the contested advertisements. The Delhi High Court's interim order temporarily halts Patanjali's campaign, and the next hearing in the matter is scheduled for July 14.