Look-alike local brand restrained from manufacturing and selling using the trademark Gandhi No. 1
Shimla: On August 23rd 2010, the Hon’ble High Court of Mumbai passed an ex parte ad interim injunction in the favour of Godrej Consumer Products Ltd. (GCPL) in its case against a Himachal Pradesh based company, Gandhi Soaps and Detergent Industries. The Company which manufactures the soap Gandhi No. 1 is identical to GCPL’s largest selling toilet soap brand Godrej No. 1. In addition to the similarity in the brand name, the packaging is a replica of Godrej No. 1 including the layout, colour combination and the font used. In response to the petition filed by GCPL, the Mumbai High Court has passed an ad-interim order that restrains Gandhi Soaps and Detergent Industries and their representatives from manufacturing & selling their products using the trademark Gandhi No.1.
Commenting on the issue, Mr. A. Mahendran, Managing Director, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd said, “The look-alikes and the spread of counterfeits of products across regions is a major concern for the industry. Counterfeits and pass-offs not only lead to lower off take of products for the Company but also employment and revenue loss to the Government. GCPL invests a significant part of its revenue to develop innovative products that continue to serve customers better, and Godrej No 1, the flagship soap brand which is the largest selling soap in North India is one such example. We are happy that the Mumbai High Court has passed the injuction in our favour and we hope to counter such cases of counterfeiting in the near future.”
Godrej No. 1 is the third largest selling Toilet soap in the country. It is also India’s largest selling Grade I soap (highest quality as per BIS). A market leader in North India, the brand has a stronghold in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal. Godrej No. 1 is a Grade 1 soap with 76 percent TFM (Total Fatty Matter). The grading of the soap is determined by the percentage of Total Fatty Matter (TFM) in the soap. TFM content is the ratio of mass of the fatty content to the mass of the soap; higher the TFM, better and purer the soap. This gives it more lather, greater longevity and the ability to clean skin better.
