SPF Showdown Ends: Honasa and HUL Call Truce in Sunscreen Ad War

The high-profile legal tussle between FMCG giant Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) and Honasa Consumer Ltd, parent of Mamaearth and The Derma Co., has ended in a swift truce, bringing relief to India’s competitive sun care market. After a week of public sparring and courtroom drama, both sides agreed to withdraw and modify contentious advertisements following proceedings in the Delhi and Bombay High Courts.

HUL will take down its current Lakmé Sun Expert SPF 50 ads from digital platforms within 24 hours and remove outdoor hoardings within 48 hours. The company has also agreed to change the packaging color in the ad from orange to light yellow and replace the phrase “online bestseller” with “some sellers,” addressing Honasa’s concerns that the campaign unfairly targeted digital-first sunscreen brands.

In return, Honasa will remove all social media posts referencing Lakmé, as both sides pledged to refrain from disparaging each other’s products. The courts refrained from issuing an injunction, allowing the revised campaigns to continue.

This settlement underscores the growing rivalry between legacy and digital-first brands, while reaffirming a shared commitment to transparency and consumer trust in India’s sun care segment.

Source: Exchange4Media