"Key market interventions in recent months include the launch of innovative and differentiated offerings such as GoldFlake Indie Mint, Gold Flake Neo and Classic Rich & Smooth in the premium end," according to sources. To receive them in your inbox use the application - 'Publications in your email'.ITC is one of India's foremost private sector companies with a market capitalisation of nearly US $ 35 billion (as on 30.06.2020) and Gross Sales Value of US $ 10.74 billion (as on 31.03.2020) with presence in FMCG, Hotels, Packaging, Paperboards & Specialty Papers, Agri & IT Businesses.The new cigarettes, which have been launched in select retail markets such as Mumbai and Pune, could be rolled out nationally based on the response from these "test markets", ITC's distributors said. 3,675 crore earned from the sales of the FLAKE REFINED TASTE brand.The judge also said that the colour combination and the brand name is written in red bold font against a white background, which follows the pattern on FLAKE REFINED TASTE pack, and even the adoption of the five-spiked crest device by Godfrey Philips, prima facie, appears to be a substantial copy of the five-spiked crest device used by ITC on its packs.“It cannot be a matter of coincidence that the stylised “S” adopted (by Godfrey Philips) in the present case is a substantial copy of the boomerang appearing on the plaintiff’s (ITC’s) pack.”“Looking at all this material, prima facie, I am of the opinion that the plaintiff is entitled to an injunction in terms of prayer for restraining the defendant from infringing the plaintiff’s copyright in its FLAKE REFINED TASTE pack,” the judge added.Justice BP Colabawalla issued the pro-tem order after coming to the prima facie conclusion that Godfrey Philips had substantially copied the patterns and colour scheme appearing on FLAKE REFINED TASTE pack of ITC on its (Godfrey’s) SELECT pack being sold in the same market --- West Bengal and north-east India.“Looking at the popularity of the FLAKE REFINED TASTE pack of the plaintiff in these markets (West Bengal and north-east India), where the defendant has also launched the impugned pack, prima facie, it appears that it wants to boost its sales by coming as close as possible to the FLAKE REFINED TASTE brand of the plaintiff,” he added.“Prima facie, it appears that launch of the defendant’s (Godfrey Philips’) impugned (SELECT) pack in the same market with a strikingly similar artistic label is itself indicative of the defendant’s ill-intent,” said the judge.“It has the same white gold and red colour scheme as that of the plaintiff’s FLAKE REFINED TASTE pack,” said the judge.ITC moved HC after Godfrey Phillips adopted new design on its SELECT pack in December 2019. “A new launch by ITC in the Rs 24 bracket is good. It may be filling the gaps in that price range, especially after the volume loss from the non- filters segment," said Mr Anand Shah, analyst with Angel Broking.ITC has diversified presence in Branded Packaged Foods, Personal Care, Education and Stationery, Agarbattis & Safety Matches, Lifestyle Retailing, Cigarettes & Cigars, Hotels, Paperboards & Specialty Papers, Packaging, Agri-business & IT.ITC Brands are designed and customized to delight the diverse tastes, needs and lifestyles of the discerning Indian consumers.
Industry sources said that ITC has been introducing new variants and augmenting its product portfolio in the cigarette business. Another reason could be the need to plug product gaps in the lower end of the price band.