New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it is ‘absolutely unacceptable’ to see consumer goods companies deceiving customers, causing their health to suffer, Scroll reported citing Live Law.
A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah was hearing contempt proceedings against Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali for misleading advertisements when this observation was made.
The court made it clear that it was not only about Patanjali but about “all those FMCGs and all those companies who are taking their consumers and clients up the garden path and showing them some very rosy pictures of what their product can do for them”.
Though people pay large amounts for these products, their health suffers from such products, the court said, adding that ‘This is absolutely unacceptable.’
Representing Patanjali, senior advocate Balbir Singh sought for creating guidelines for the industry in general.
The Indian Medical Association approached the court accusing Patanjali of involving in a ‘smear campaign’ against modern medicine and the Covid-19 vaccination drive.
Subsequently, in an undertaking on November 21 Patanjali said it would not make any ‘casual statements claiming medicinal efficacy or against any system of medicine.’
Nevertheless, Patanjali issued an allegedly misleading advertisement on December 4, following which the court ‘ rebuked Ramdev and the firm’s Managing Director Balkrishna.’
Following this on March 20 Balkrishna in an ‘ unqualified apology’ expressed highest regard for the rule of law.
It further said that Patanjali would not issue any such advertisements in the future.
The court, however, termed the apology as ‘mere lip service’ while refusing to accept it.
The court again on Wednesday rejected the company’s apology, adding that expression of remorse from Balkrishna and Ramdev came when they were ‘caught on the wrong foot’.