The long-standing battle between Dabur India and Patanjali Ayurved over toothpaste packaging has escalated, with the Delhi High Court being informed on August 1 that efforts at resolving the dispute through mediation have failed, reported Bar and Bench.
Mediation fails as Dabur alleges Patanjali copied its Dant Manjan design
At the heart of the dispute is the packaging of Patanjali’s “Dant Kanti Red (pan flavour)” toothpaste, which Dabur claims looks strikingly similar to its popular Dabur Red toothpaste. Dabur alleges that the similarities in design and colour scheme could mislead consumers into confusing the two products.
While Dabur has clarified that it does not object to the use of the word “Red” or the inclusion of a pan leaf in the design, it has taken issue with the overall look and feel of the new Patanjali packaging, introduced in December 2024, which it believes mimics Dabur’s trade dress too closely.
Not the first brand clash between the two FMCG giants
This is not the only instance of friction between the two homegrown companies. In December last year, Dabur filed a separate case against Patanjali over a television advertisement in which its founder, yoga guru Ramdev, appeared to cast doubt on the authenticity of competing Chyawanprash products.
Dabur argued that the ad unfairly undermined consumer trust in rival brands and ignored the fact that Chyawanprash is a regulated Ayurvedic formulation. In response, the Delhi High Court had directed Patanjali in July 2025 to withdraw the advertisements.
The toothpaste packaging case is now scheduled to be heard in December. As both brands continue to vie for consumer trust and market share in India’s competitive Ayurveda-based FMCG market, this legal clash will be closely watched.