Based on Marico plea, HC bars Alpino Health from advertising against oats
This story was originally published at 20:34 IST on 5 November 2024
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NEW DELHI – Based on a petition by Marico Ltd., the Delhi High Court barred Alpino Health Foods Pvt. Ltd. from publishing advertisements which were disparaging "oats" as a category of foods till the next date of hearing on Mar. 19, 2025. The high court issued a summons to Alpino Health Foods on a permanent injunction suit by Marico to restrain the former from disparagement, unfair trade practice and damages.
"The plaintiff has demonstrated a prima facie case for grant of injunction and in case no ex-parte ad-interim injunction is granted, the plaintiff will suffer an irreparable loss," said Justice Mini Pushkarna. The balance of convenience also lies in favour of Marico and against Alpino Health, said the court.
Marico in 2010 launched oats under the name Saffola Oats, which consists of 100% rolled oats made from high-quality natural wholegrain oats. Marico said any campaign being run against oats as a food product, will directly impact its trade and will cause irreparable harm and injury to them, and will tantamount to disparagement of its oats under the brand "Saffola". Further, any disparagement and denigration of oats will cause widespread panic and alarm in the minds of the consumers who consume oats, Marico added.
Marico said Alpino Health is manufacturing a proprietary ready-to-eat food product, which is marketed by them as a breakfast cereal. In an attempt to pitch and establish its product against the regular rolled oats, Alpino Health is running an advertisement campaign by comparing the natural characteristic of oats to "choona" (lime powder), said Marico. One of the advertisements by Alpino calls rolled oats lifeless, boring and impossible to finish, Marico added.
Alpino Health is creating a dangerous and misleading association, implying that oats are a construction material rather than a food product, said Marico. Further, Alpino Health goes so far as to call the consumption of oats for breakfast a "scam", said Marico. The message sought to be conveyed by Alpino Health is that various brands selling oats are falsely making people believe that oats are secret to their health, Marico added.
On Tuesday, the shares of Marico Ltd ended 0.2% lower at 634.00 rupees on the National Stock Exchange. End
Reported by Surya Tripathi
Edited by Saji George Titus
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