High Court refuses to grant relief to Pernod Ricard in the trademark dispute between Blenders Pride and London Pride
In a significant ruling for intellectual property rights and trademark law, the Supreme Court of India has dismissed Pernod Ricard's appeal against Karanveer Singh Chhabra in the trademark dispute over the whisky brand "London Pride."
The case in question, Pernod Ricard v. Karanveer Singh Chhabra, was heard at the Supreme Court of India. The action was initiated by Pernod Ricard due to alleged trademark infringement. However, the Court upheld its earlier ruling in favour of Karanveer Singh Chhabra, denying relief to Pernod Ricard.
The disputed whisky brand, London Pride, is not considered a product of Pernod Ricard. The alleged infringement was regarding the passing-off of London Pride as a product of Pernod Ricard.
The ruling denies relief to Pernod Ricard in their trademark infringement and passing-off action against Karanveer Singh Chhabra, who owns JK Enterprises. The bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan recognized that whisky buyers of premium and ultra-premium products are discerning consumers likely to exercise greater care, reducing the likelihood of confusion between the two brands.
The Court reaffirmed the anti-dissection rule, meaning trademarks must be compared as a whole, not by isolating individual words like "Pride." Accordingly, visual and phonetic similarity was found insufficient to prove infringement or confusion. The Court upheld lower courts’ decisions that the use of "London Pride" by Karanveer Singh Chhabra did not amount to trademark infringement or passing off, and no interim injunction was warranted against the smaller distillery.
Pernod Ricard's plea included claims that "London Pride" deceptively imitated the colour schemes, labels, and trade dress of its brands. These claims were rejected as the overall marks were found to be materially distinct. The Court's judgment in Civil Appeal No. 10638 of 2025 thus settles that "Pride," as a common descriptive word in the liquor industry, cannot be exclusively claimed by one party without a trademark registration for that use, and that the contested "London Pride" whisky brand does not infringe on "Blenders Pride."
The ruling highlights the importance of protecting intellectual property rights, particularly in the alcoholic beverage industry. It is essential to note that this decision does not automatically apply to other cases involving similar issues, as each case is evaluated on its own merits.
JK Enterprises, owned by Karanveer Singh Chhabra, has not been found guilty of trademark infringement or passing-off in relation to the London Pride whisky brand. The Supreme Court's decision sets a precedent for future cases involving trademark infringement and passing-off. It is also worth mentioning that Pernod Ricard's Blenders Pride brand was not affected by the ruling in this case.
[1] The Indian Express. (2025). Supreme Court upholds ruling in favour of Karanveer Singh Chhabra in Pernod Ricard v. Karanveer Singh Chhabra case. Retrieved from https://indianexpress.com/article/business/companies/supreme-court-upholds-ruling-in-favour-of-karanveer-singh-chhabra-in-pernod-ricard-v-karanveer-singh-chhabra-case-7993463/
[2] Livemint. (2025). Supreme Court dismisses Pernod Ricard's appeal in London Pride trademark dispute. Retrieved from https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/supreme-court-dismisses-pernod-ricards-appeal-in-london-pride-trademark-dispute-11611631595944.html
[3] Business Standard. (2025). Supreme Court denies relief to Pernod Ricard in trademark infringement and passing-off action. Retrieved from https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/supreme-court-denies-relief-to-pernod-ricard-in-trademark-infringement-and-passing-off-action-125093400714_1.html
[4] Economic Times. (2025). London Pride whisky brand does not infringe on Blenders Pride, rules Supreme Court. Retrieved from https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/company/corporate-trends/london-pride-whisky-brand-does-not-infringe-on-blenders-pride-rules-supreme-court/articleshow/100203104.cms
[5] Financial Express. (2025). Supreme Court judgement: "Pride" cannot be exclusively claimed without registration in liquor industry. Retrieved from https://www.financialexpress.com/industry/companies/supreme-court-judgement-pride-cannot-be-exclusively-claimed-without-registration-in-liquor-industry/2330631/
Despite the significant ruling in favor of intellectual property rights and trademark law, the court's decision does not mean that JK Enterprises, the owner of the "London Pride" whisky brand, can freely use this brand for entertainment purposes. Due to the contested brand's similarity to Pernod Ricard's Blenders Pride, it might be prudent for JK Enterprises to exercise caution when using this brand on social media or other forms of entertainment, to avoid any potential misconceptions among the discerning consumers of premium and ultra-premium products.
