HC asks RSPL to make changes in detergent advt on HUL's disparagement suit
This story was originally published at 16:52 IST on 20 June 2025
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NEW DELHI – The Delhi High Court on Friday asked RSPL Ltd. to make changes to its commercial advertisements for Ghadi detergent powder by Monday after considering a permanent injunction suit filed by Hindustan Unilever Ltd. The petitioner had alleged that RSPL through its commercial advertisements had disparaged HUL's Surf Excel detergent powder.
Justice Prathiba Singh said that she was of the prima facie opinion that from a layman's view, the product which RSPL was comparing to could mean Surf Excel of Hindustan Unilever. Justice Singh said that courts had earlier ruled that the derogatory remarks were not allowed by a party against its competitors while promoting their products.
In the advertisement, two women are seen buying two different detergents. While one picks a blue detergent powder, named XL-Blue written on it, the other woman buys Ghadi detergent. The shopkeeper refers to the blue detergent powder and says it only speaks highly of itself but doesn't wash properly, adding that the detergent powder is fraudulent. He further says that Ghadi detergent washes clothes well and its cost and foam were good ('iske jhag ache hai, daam ache hai'), which was allegedly disparaging Surf Excel's campaign of 'daag ache hai'.
The high court asked RSPL to remove these lines in the advertisement. Further, the high court issued summons to RSPL on the suit filed by HUL.
HUL argued that RSPL's advertisements were targeting Surf Excel and disparaging its products by using inappropriate language. RSPL has used light blue colour for its advertisement, with XL- Blue written on it, which was a reference to Surf Excel, the petitioner said. Contesting these claims, RSPL argued that the petitioner did not have a monopoly on the word Excel or XL and there were various other blue packaged detergent powders in the market.
On Friday, shares of HUL ended 0.5% higher at INR 2,306.20 on the National Stock Exchange. End
Reported by Surya Tripathi
Edited by Tanima Banerjee
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