VLCC, L'Oreal slug it out for beauty product 'Fuel'

Fighting for a larger share of the thriving and competitive beauty product market, VLCC has threatened legal action against L’Oreal for the ownership of men’s skin care brand ‘Fuel’, but the global cosmetic firm asserted its rights on the trademark.

Claiming that it had bought the rights to the brand from Delhi-based entrepreneur Mahesh Chaudhary in 2006, beauty service company VLCC today said it had served a legal notice on L’Oreal, alleging that the latter’s claim on Fuel is factually incorrect.

However, L’Oreal debunked the claims, saying it is the proprietor of the trademark Fuel, registered in India since September 27, 2001, as well as that of ‘Fuel For Life’, which was launched internationally in 2006 and in India in 2009.

The company spokesperson said in an e-mail response that “L’Oreal places great importance on the protection of its trademarks and reserves its right to defend them whenever necessary”. Dissatisfied by the responses of L’Oreal, VLCC sent a legal notice last week and the company spokesperson told PTI “it should be noted that any third party claim of owning the said trademark (Fuel) since 2001 is factually incorrect. VLCC has sent its concern and a legal notice to L’Oreal”.

Fuel was registered in India in 2001 and acquired, “along with goodwill and priority”, by VLCC in 2006, the person added.

According to industry sources, lawyers of the respective firms (L’Oreal and VLCC) were in discussions to settle the matter before taking it to the court.