Indian Supreme Court Declines to Interfere in Harpic Bottle Dispute

The Supreme Court of India on October 11, 2026, refused to interfere with a Calcutta High Court order in a dispute between Reckitt Benckiser (India) and Godrej Consumer Products over alleged trademark infringement and disparagement involving toilet cleaner bottles.

The case centers on Reckitt's claims to proprietary rights in the distinctive Harpic bottle and cap device mark. Godrej launched a competing product in October 2025. Reckitt filed suit in February 2026 seeking injunctive relief.

A single judge of the High Court initially granted an ad-interim injunction. The Division Bench set it aside on February 27, 2026, noting the grievance appeared more related to disparagement than infringement and recording Godrej's undertaking to discontinue certain advertisements. The bench observed visible differences in product appearance and questioned ongoing trademark protection for bottle shapes after design protection expires.

Reckitt challenged the Division Bench order via special leave petitions. The Supreme Court bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and K. Vinod Chandran found no conclusive findings by the High Court and declined to examine merits at this stage. The Court affirmed that all issues remain open for the single judge after pleadings and affidavits, uninfluenced by prior observations.

The matter returns to the Calcutta High Court for further proceedings.