Delhi High Court orders Alpino Health Foods from running ads disparaging oats

In a recent legal development, the Delhi High Court has issued an interim order restraining Bengaluru-based Alpino Health Foods Private Limited from publishing or sharing advertisements that disparage oats as a food category, as per reports.

The injunction, passed by Justice Mini Pushkarna, was granted ex parte and aims to prevent Alpino from spreading allegedly negative portrayals of oats on social media or other platforms.

The case was filed by Marico Limited, makers of Saffola Oats, who expressed concerns over Alpino's advertisements that allegedly malign oats as "lifeless, boring, and impossible to finish."

Marico's complaint pointed to Alpino's marketing approach as a "brazen and bizarre campaign" against oats, accusing the brand of denigrating oats and misleading consumers by likening oats to harmful substances.

Alpino's campaign, with actress Shilpa Shetty as its brand ambassador and investor, has been accused of portraying oats as unsuitable for human consumption in a bid to promote its own product as superior to regular rolled oats.

In response to Marico's arguments, the High Court issued a summons and concluded that Marico presented a prima facie case justifying an injunction to prevent irreparable damage.

"In view of the above circumstances, the plaintiff has demonstrated a prima facie for grant of injunction and in case no ex-parte ad-interim injunction is granted, the plaintiff will suffer an irreparable loss," the Court stated, adding that the balance of convenience lay in Marico's favor.

The next hearing of the matter is scheduled for March 19.