Tata vs Dabur: Legal Battle Over Spicy Chutney Lands in High Court

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Two of India’s major companies are locked in a legal battle over the trademark of a popular spicy chutney. The dispute involving Tata Group-owned Capital Foods and Dabur India has escalated to the Delhi High Court. Capital Foods which sells the product under the brand name Ching's Schezwan Chutney claims that it owns the registered trademark for the name. Despite this, Dabur India has launched a competing product under the same name leading to accusations of trademark infringement.

On Friday, Justice Mini Pushkarna issued a notice to Dabur India in response to Capital Foods' petition and scheduled the next hearing for the last week of February. According to Capital Foods, significant investments have been made in promoting and branding Ching's Schezwan Chutney giving it a strong market identity.

The conflict began when Dabur started selling a product labeled Schezwan 2024 with the term Schezwan Chutney prominently displayed in capital letters on its packaging. Capital Foods argues that this design misleads consumers into associating Dabur's product with Ching's Schezwan Chutney violating intellectual property rights and trademark laws.

Additionally, Capital Foods has alleged that Dabur’s actions dilute its brand value and misappropriate its copyrighted product design. The company contends that Schezwan Chutney is closely linked to its brand identity and consumer trust. Dabur, however, has countered by filing a petition to cancel Capital Foods' trademark for Schezwan Chutney in October 2024 with a hearing scheduled for February 5. The legal battle continues as both companies seek to protect their market positions. This high-profile case underscores the growing importance of intellectual property rights in India’s competitive FMCG sector.