The Delhi High Court has ordered Alpino Health Foods Private Limited to stop publishing ads that put oats in a bad light. This decision came after Marico Limited, which sells “Saffola Oats” and holds about 45% of the market share, filed a lawsuit.
Alpino compares Oats to “choona” (lime powder)
Notably, Marico has claimed that Alpino Health Foods ran a “brazen and bizarre” ad campaign, calling eating oats for breakfast a scam and comparing it to “choona” (lime powder), which they say is insulting and degrading.
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In granting interim relief, Justice Mini Pushkarna noted that Marico had a strong initial case for the injunction and would suffer significant harm without it.
According to NDTV, the judge handling the case stated, “Accordingly, till the next date of hearing, defendant, its directors … are restrained from publishing or otherwise sharing, forwarding, howsoever, communicating to the public, either through social media platforms, inter alia Instagram, Facebook, Twitter etc., or in any other manner, the impugned advertisements or any part thereof, or any other advertisement or communication of a similar nature, in any language or in any manner, disparaging ‘oats’ as a category of foods.”
Marico’s Saffola Oats holds 45% of market
Thus, restrained Alpino to stop showing ads by any means and on any platform. In addition, the court also issued a summons to Alpino Health Foods, noting that any campaign against oats would directly impact Marico’s “Saffola” brand business.
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Notably, Marico claims that the defendant’s product, a breakfast cereal with 61% rolled oats and other ingredients, is being marketed as better than regular oats, creating a false impression of selling “super oats.”
Furthermore, it has objected to the alleged misrepresentation of oats’ nutritional value and the use of derogatory language and comparisons.
