Industry Odisha Bureau, Aug 29: Since the consumer companies in India are reportedly resorting more and more to challenging their respective rival companies’ claims through their comparative advertisements for pushing their respective brands in the markets as well as wooing and weaning away gullible customers, legal suits against each other by the aggrieved consumer brand firms are reportedly flooding the courts of law currently.
Citing the latest case in point, media reports have stated that, “The home-care brand Beco’s advertisement campaign allegedly comparing its products with Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL)’s products has been challenged by HUL in the court of law alleging misleading claims and commercial disparagement. Similarly, Native has sued Kent RO in the court of law because Kent RO in its commercial advertisement has allegedly questioned Native’s claims on its two-year filter-life and no-servicing.”
Elaborating on the legal suits, media reports have added that, “The HUL versus Beco case is sub juduce in the Delhi High Court since August 2026. On August 24, the Delhi High Court reserved its order on whether it has the jurisdiction to hear the suit or not, but has not yet ruled on the merits of HUL’s allegations. Similarly in the Native versus Kent RO case sub judice in the Delhi High Court, Kent RO during the August 12 hearing has agreed to withdraw its disputed advertisement and not run similar disputed advertisements targeting Native’s two-year filter-life and no-seriving claims. The Delhi High Court has directed Kent RO to remove the disputed advertisements within a fortnight (15 days) deadline.”
Notably, “The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) Code bars advertisements from misleading consumers through implications, omissions or exaggerations. It is the Code for self-regulation of advertising content in India. Established in 1985, the ASCI is committed to the cause of self-regulation in advertising, ensuring the protection of the interests of consumers. It requires advertisements to be legal, decent, honest and truthful, and not hazardous or harmful, while observing fairness in competition.”
