?Controversy stirs around Amul ice cream's recent TV commercial

At the onset of summer season, mercury levels are on the rise with ice cream and frozen dessert makers locked in a legal battle. 

Hindustan Unilever (HUL) and Vadilal Group have joined forces to take on "Amul" ice cream maker Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) over a television commercial, which allegedly belittles "frozen desserts".

HUL, which markets 'Kwality Wall's', has filed a case in the Bombay high court against GCMMF, terming the latter's recently launched TV advertisement as 'misleading'. 

Vadilal Industries and Vadilal Dairy International, which also manufacture frozen desserts, have a common interest in the matter and are supporting HUL in the suit.

HUL has sought immediate removal of the advertisement which, according to GCMMF, was launched to "educate consumers to identify and differentiate between ice-cream and frozen desserts". 

The advertisement talks about Amul ice creams being made from 'real milk' as opposed to 'frozen desserts' which are made from 'vegetable oil'. The advertisement, however, does not name any brand.

An HUL company spokesperson, said, "Amul has been airing a misleading television commercial since March 2017. This advertisement makes factually incorrect statements creating apprehensions among consumers of frozen desserts.The advertisement makes incorrect claims about the usage of `vanaspativanaspati-tel' in frozen dessert products. 

We wish to clarify that Kwality Wall's range of `frozen desserts' do not contain Vanaspati. In fact, Kwality Wall's range of frozen desserts contain milkmilk solids like ice creams. The only difference is that frozen desserts use vegetable fat instead of dairy fat, which actually makes them healthier as they have lower saturated fat and do not have cholesterol."

R S Sodhi, MD, GCMMF, said, "Frozen desserts are masquerading as ice creams. By using low-cost ingredients, they are misleading consumers who are looking for real product. We are trying to make consumers aware of the difference."