Amul may move court over HUL advertisement
The marketer of the Amul brand of ice-creams and dairy products might approach the Bombay High Court over rival Hindustan Unilever’s new advertisement, comparing the nutritional value of ice creams and frozen desserts, a source said.
Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) is the manufacturer and marketer of Amul-branded products.
HUL had earlier this week uploaded an advertisement on its Kwality Wall’s YouTube channel, explaining the difference between ice creams and frozen desserts.
The advertisement indicated that frozen desserts were healthier than ice creams owing to the use of skimmed milk and vegetable oil.
A frozen dessert of 100 grammes had 204 calories versus ice cream’s 219 calories, it showed.
The GCMMF and HUL are fighting in court over the former’s recent advertisement campaign comparing ice creams and frozen desserts.
The campaign, which appeared in leading newspapers over the past month, says ice creams are made of milk components, while frozen desserts are made from cheaper vegetable oils.
Parallely, the GCMMF also ran a television campaign, which is still on air, explaining the difference between ice creams and frozen desserts.
A verdict on this matter is expected shortly and GCMMF’s Managing Director R S Sodhi declined to comment because the issue was sub judice. About HUL’s new advertisement, he said the GCMMF was yet to decide on a course of action.
Persons in the know said the GCMMF was likely to take the matter to court, much the way HUL had done when the GCMMF ran the first advertisement comparing ice creams and frozen desserts.
HUL had stated in court the Amul ice-cream advertisement was disparaging.
“HUL manufactures and markets both ice creams and frozen desserts in India. Both contain milk/milk solids, contrary to the depiction in the advertisements, and do not contain ‘vanaspati’,” an HUL spokesperson said.
HUL had earlier this week uploaded an advertisement on its Kwality Wall’s YouTube channel, explaining the difference between ice creams and frozen desserts. The advertisement indicated that frozen desserts were healthier than ice creams owing to the use of skimmed milk and vegetable oil