Teva Israel sues Abbott over baby formula
Teva Israel, which markets the Nutrilon baby formula, filed a NIS 40 million lawsuit against Abbott Israel, the importer of the Similac brand, and against the marketing agency, Agam Leaders Tech Ltd.
Teva is claiming that Abbott Israel, a local entity which imports Similac, is behind a “mendacious and covert slur campaign” on social media intended to harm Nutrilon after the latter significantly increased in its market share in Israel
Teva, which has been marketing the series of Nutrilon baby formula products in Israel for around a decade, filed the lawsuit on Sunday in the Tel Aviv District Court, claiming that Abbott and Agam Leaders are behind an “illegitimate and fraudulent scheme that uses fictitious profiles of mothers alongside paid commenters on the social networks in order to defame Teva’s Nutrilon brand and to sow confusion and fear among parents of babies, while spreading misleading information.”
“The detailed statement of claim and the copious and unambiguous evidence that has been gathered over a long period of time speak for themselves,” said Yossi Ofek, CEO of Teva Israel. “I am confident and certain that the court will utilize this opportunity to set clear boundaries for companies that choose to contravene the standards of fair business and conduct towards consumers and for whom the end, increasing their profits, justifies all means – including misleading consumers and frightening them baselessly.”