Patanjali row: Patanjali Ayurved, an Indian multinational conglomerate holding company, has been issued a legal notice over allegations of using a non-vegetarian ingredient called ‘Samudra Phen’ (cuttlefish) in its dental product, Divya Dant Manjan. Despite this ingredient, the product has been labelled as vegetarian and green.
Earlier this week, Lawyer Sasha Jain took to Twitter and raised concerns about the alleged use of the non-vegetarian ingredient by Patanjali.
“Issued legal notice to Patanjali, seeking clarifications on the deceptive use of Samudra phen (cuttlefish) in its product Divya Dant Manjan, while labeling it as green. This infringes upon r consumer rights & is deeply offensive to our community and other vegetarian communities,” She wrote.
In a series of tweets, Jain also highlighted the list of ingredients in Patanjali’s Divya Dant Manjan and pointed out that it also includes ‘Samundra Fen’ (Sepia officinalis), which is commonly known as common cuttlefish.
It is noteworthy that the flagged product ‘Samudra Fen’ contains calcium carbonate, phosphate, sulfate, and silica, which is used as a scraping agent in dental care products.
The lawyer also shared a copy of the legal notice she issued to Patanjali. She requested the company to provide clarifications regarding the alleged use of non-vegetarian substances within 15 days of receiving the notice.
Patanjali’s Divya Dant Manjan
On its Website, the Indian conglomerate has claimed that Divya Dant Manjan is the most powerful medicated product for the gums as well as teeth.
“…By using this tooth powder, gums become strong. Resultantly dental problems like Pieria (flow of blood and pus from the gums) would be solved and the tiny food particles that are left in between the gums would be pushed out. Bad odor from mouth would be ceased. Saliva glands work properly and teeth would be healthy and shine well,” the company claimed.
Patanjali also claims that Divya Dant Manjan which costs Rs. 80 can solve dental problems like Pieria (flow of blood and pus from the gums).
The product includes the following ingredients:
Babool (Acacia Arabica) Bk. 17.70 G,
Neem (Azadirachata Indica) Bk. 4.40 G,
Tumbaru (Zanthoxylum Alatum) Fr. 4.4g,
Pudina (Mentha Spicata) Lf. 4.40g,
Majufal (Quercus Infectoria) Gi. 4.40g,
Saindha Namak (Sodii Chloridum) 13.20 G,
Pippali Chhoti (Piper Longum) Fr. 4.40 G,
Kala Namak (Sodii Chloridum) 4.40g,
Akarkara (Anacyclus Pyrethrum) Rt. 4.40g,
Loung (Syzygium Aromaticum) Fi. Bd. 4.40g,
Kali Mirch (Piper Nigrum) Fr. 1.75g,
Haldi (Curcuma Longa) Rz. 4.40g,
Samudra Fen (Sepia Officinalis) 4.40g,
Sphatica Bhasma (Alum Potash) 22.0g,
Kapoor (Cinnamomum Camphora) Ext 0.90 G,
Pipermint (Mentha Piperata) Ext. 0.45g
According to the company’s Annual Report 2020-21, during the Financial Year 2020-21 Company has registered a turnover of Rs. 9783.81 crores and profit after tax (“PAT”) of Rs. 484.56 crores as against the profit of Rs. 424.72 crores in the previous Financial Year. The company has not yet posted its 2022-23 report.
In November last year, the Ayurvedic and Unani Services authorities in Uttarakhand issued an order to Patanjali’s Divya Pharmacy and instructed them to halt the production of five drugs. However, the order was revoked later.
The action was taken by Dr. K.V. Babu, an ophthalmologist based in Kerala, lodged a complaint and expressed concerns over an advertisement by the company claiming that their eye drops were effective in treating conditions such as glaucoma, cataract, and other eye problems.
According to Dr. Babu, such advertisements pose a risk to human life, as untreated eye issues can potentially lead to blindness.
‘This is misleading’
Ashim Sanyal, COO, Consumer Voice told Financial Express.com that the use of non-vegetarian ingredients and labeling as vegetarian with a green dot is a violation of the law.
“Toothpaste is digestible and vegetarians therefore cannot use it. The ground that it is mentioned in the ingredient list doesn’t hold water as the front of the pack red dot label must be put. The onus is on the brand to give clear information. This is misleading,” Sanyal said.
Dr. Rennie Joyy, an ex-Banker, Corporate Lawyer highlighted that despite being promoted as a brand that emphasizes natural and Ayurvedic products, Patanjali has earlier too been involved in controversies regarding mislabeling and misleading claims like the atta noodles issues in 2015.
“…Now again this new cuttlefish issue highlights the importance of strict regulations and vigilant monitoring to prevent misrepresentation in the market. The company should reply to the legal notice and be open for necessary lab tests for its toothpaste for checking its content. The Indian Consumer Act serves as a shield against misrepresentation in the market. Specifically, when a product is falsely claimed to be vegetarian, it breaches consumer trust. Recently, a concerning trend has emerged where hidden non-vegetarian ingredients are found in products labeled as vegetarian,” Dr. Joyy told Financial Express.com.
She also pointed out this deceptive practice not only violates the rights of vegetarian consumers but also undermines their religious, cultural, and personal beliefs.
“The Act, with its provisions, aims to hold accountable those responsible for misleading consumers,” she added.
According to Dr. Arjav Beswal, MDS Proprietor at Ivory Dental specialities and other dental clinics told Financial Express.com that although cuttlefish has been used in toothpastes before, it is highly unethical for a company like Patanjali to be using it, as most of their consumer use their product based on trust and belief that only vegetarian and Ayurvedic ingredients are used.
“This is a clear violation of consumer rights and the labeling regulations, to add to that the deceit and hurt it caused to so many consumers who all this while used their product purely for the “environmental friendly” nature of their product, as they have been marketing it all through out,” Dr. Beswal said.
Financial Express.com reached out to Patanjali via e-mail and WhatsApp and but received no reply. The story will be updated if and when a response is received.
