South Africa, Feb. 24 -- Infringing packaging

Unilever lodged the complaint, arguing that Bellisima's packaging closely resembled Hellmann's, with a blue lid, a two-toned label, and a ribbon design, creating a likelihood of confusion among consumers. The ARB found that Unilever's packaging had acquired substantial advertising goodwill and that Epic Foods had exploited this by imitating key visual elements, particularly after Hellmann's temporary exit from the South African market in early 2023.

Despite being given the opportunity, Epic Foods failed to respond to the complaint. The ARB ruled that Bellisima's packaging contravened Clause 8 (Exploitation of Advertising Goodwill) and Clause 9 (Imitation) of the Code of Advertising Practice....