Indiantelevision.com Team

(6 March 2010 5:10 pm)

MUMBAI: The Calcutta High Court has restrained FMCG major Hindustan Unilever (HUL) from "disparaging" Tide detergent brand in their advertisements, providing breathing space to Procter & Gamble (P&G).

In its injunction, Justice Nadira Patherya directed HUL to stop airing or publishing the advert in media. She said that the “advertisement to promote its detergent Rin could not be aired in any form of media as it disparages P&G product Tide.”

The Court will hear the matter after six weeks.

Earlier, post the launch of the advertisement, P&G had filed a suit against HUL and demanded Rs 1 billion in damages. P&G's counsels submitted before the court that HUL’s claims in the advertisement - that their product Rin has more whitening power than Tide - were unsubstantiated and had no scientific basis.

P&G counsel also claimed that the advertisement was made with malafide intent.