Urban Company sues Kent RO over false water purifier claims

Urban Company has filed a defamation and product disparagement suit against Kent RO Systems in the Delhi High Court, alleging that advertisements targeting its Native water purifiers contained false and misleading claims. The suit, filed on August 11, concerns Kent's advertising campaign that described the two-year filter life and two-year no-servicing features of Urban Company's Native M0, M1, M2, M1 Pro and M2 Pro purifiers as a "marketing gimmick" and portrayed their use as "unsafe" and "risky" for consumers.

During a hearing on August 12 before Justice A J Bhambhani, Kent RO agreed to remove the disputed advertisements and social media content within 15 days and not to publish similar disparaging claims. Times Now reports that Kent told the court it would pull down the ads, while Livemint adds that the court did not determine whether Urban Company's claims were correct or decide on the underlying allegations. Kent has been given 30 days to file its written statement, with the matter listed for November 17.

The legal battle between the two companies extends beyond this suit. Kent has filed a patent infringement case against Urban Company, which has responded with a counterclaim. Urban Company has also sued Kent over alleged removal of its Native purifiers from e-commerce platforms, with those cases still pending.