Procter & Gamble files lawsuit against Vi-Jon over trademark infringement

Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) has filed a lawsuit against Vi-Jon, a manufacturer of personal care products.

The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. It focuses on Vi-Jon’s store brand dandruff shampoo, which is sold in major retail outlets across the US.

P&G alleged that Vi-Jon's product's bottles mimic the shape, colours and label of Head & Shoulders in a way that infringes its trade dress.

Procter & Gamble's chief legal officer Deborah P. Majoras said: “We invest heavily in all aspects of our product, and its appearance has become inextricably linked with what we stand for to our consumers.

“When a competitor makes products that come too close to our legally protected trademarks and trade dress, it’s unfair to consumers, and to our employees and shareholders, and we will challenge those violations.”

Head & Shoulders offers dandruff protection and is used by 1.3 billion people across 140 countries.