Fake Little Hearts Biscuits: Delhi High Court Restrains Sale of Britannia Counterfeits, Directs Amazon to Delist Products
The Delhi High Court has issued an interim injunction restraining a manufacturer from producing and selling biscuits that mimic the trademarked name and distinctive shape of Britannia’s iconic "Little Hearts." In an order aimed at protecting intellectual property and consumer interests, the court also directed Amazon to delist the infringing products from its platform.
New Delhi, January: The Delhi High Court has issued an interim injunction restraining a manufacturer from producing and selling biscuits that mimic the trademarked name and distinctive shape of Britannia’s iconic "Little Hearts." In an order aimed at protecting intellectual property and consumer interests, the court also directed e-commerce giant Amazon to immediately delist the infringing products from its platform. Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, presiding over the case, observed that the rival products were virtually indistinguishable from the original, creating a high likelihood of consumer confusion.
The ‘Triple Identity’ Infringement
The legal action was initiated by Britannia Industries Ltd after it discovered that a company, Shri Swastik Organics, and its associates were selling heart-shaped biscuits under the "Little Hearts" brand name on Amazon. Upon reviewing the evidence, the court characterized the situation as a rare case of "triple identity" infringement. This legal standard is met when the infringing party uses an identical mark for identical products through identical trade channels. Shadab Jakati-Iram Controversy: ‘10 Rupees Wala Biscuit’ Fame Influencer’s Reel Partner Clarifies Relationship After Husband Khurshid Makes Serious Allegations (Watch Videos).
"The infringing defendants' use of the impugned mark and identical product shape demonstrates their mala fide intent to misrepresent the origin of the goods and ride upon the goodwill garnered by the plaintiff," Justice Arora noted in the order.
Online Deception and Copyright Concerns
Britannia informed the court that the defendants’ online listings went beyond just using the name. The product descriptions explicitly referenced "Britannia Little Hearts" and utilized images belonging to the original brand to market the imitation goods. The court found this to be a "clear and deliberate act of dishonesty," noting that the defendants were using Britannia’s copyrighted packaging designs and 3D product shapes to mislead customers into believing they were purchasing the authentic snack.
Mandate for Amazon
Recognizing the role of digital marketplaces in the spread of counterfeit goods, the court issued a direct mandate to Amazon. The platform has been ordered to take down all listings that feature the "Little Hearts" mark or the specific heart-shaped biscuit design by the defendants. Legal experts suggest that such firm directives are becoming increasingly common as established brands struggle to police decentralized sellers on major e-commerce websites. Is Oreo Biscuit Made of 'Fat and Pork Milk'? Here's a Fact Check of Post Going Viral on WhatsApp and Facebook.
Background and Next Steps
Britannia has used the "Little Hearts" trademark since 1988 and first launched its signature sugar-coated, heart-shaped biscuits in 1993. The company holds registered trademarks for both the brand name and the unique three-dimensional shape of the biscuit. The court stated that failure to grant an immediate injunction would cause "irreparable harm and injury" to Britannia's brand equity. While the current order provides temporary relief, the court has scheduled the next hearing for May 2026 to further deliberate on the substantive merits of the lawsuit.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 02, 2026 03:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).