Sunscreen Duel: HUL, Honasa Drag Each Other To Courts Over Ad Campaigns

Mamaearth parent Honasa Consumer Ltd. has filed a lawsuit in the Delhi High Court against Hindustan Unilever Ltd., alleging that an advertisement for Lakmé Sun Expert sunscreen disparages products sold by its skincare brand, The Derma Co. HUL, on the other hand, hit back with a countersuit.

The dispute centres on HUL’s ad campaign, which alleges that some sunscreen products in the market falsely claim SPF 50 protection. HUL said Lakmé follows in-vivo SPF testing, a globally recognised method, and has done so since 2015.

Representing Honasa, advocate Amit Sibal told the court that the campaign was a “classic hit and run,” targeting digital-first sunscreen brands without naming them directly. The company has sought either removal or modification of the advertisement.

The Delhi High Court has allowed HUL to present its arguments on April 17.

HUL has approached the Bombay High Court to restrain Honasa from running an advertising campaign that allegedly disparages Lakme sunscreen. Justice Arif Doctor is likely to hear the case on Thursday as well.

“Consumer safety is paramount for us,” an HUL spokesperson said earlier in a statement to NDTV Profit, adding that many popular online brands exaggerate their SPF ratings.

Honasa co-founder Ghazal Alagh earlier responded on LinkedIn, asserting that Derma Co. already follows in-vivo testing. In a separate post, which was later deleted, she accused HUL of copying Derma Co.’s sunscreen formulation.