Calling other companies’ products ‘fake’ in advertisements is wrong !

Case related to Patanjali’s Chyawanprash ad claiming rival products are fake

New Delhi – Calling the products of other companies “fake” in advertisements is defamatory and objectionable, observed the Delhi High Court while reserving its decision on whether to grant an interim stay on the advertisement for Patanjali’s Chyawanprash, promoted by yoga guru Baba Ramdev.

The case was filed by Dabur India, which has accused Patanjali of defamation and unfair trade practices through its advertisement campaign.

‘You may call them inferior, but not fake’

The High Court questioned Patanjali’s senior advocate Rajiv Nayar, asking, “Instead of using the word fake, why don’t you say inferior? What’s the difficulty in that? You are suggesting that everyone else is fake and only you are genuine. How can you call all other Chyawanprash brands fake? You may claim they are of lower quality, but you cannot call them fake. Haven’t you found any other word in the dictionary besides fake?”

What’s in the advertisement ?

In the new advertisement for Patanjali Special Chyawanprash, Baba Ramdev is seen stating that “most people are being deceived in the name of Chyawanprash.” The advertisement further claims that Patanjali’s product contains 51 Ayurvedic herbs and saffron, implying that it is superior to other brands available in the market.