P&G’s Gillette and Edgewell Personal Care have been caught in a dispute over patent infringement concerning a model of razor sold in the US.
Gillette filed a lawsuit against Edgewell on the grounds that Edgewell’s 3-bladed private label razors allegedly infringe on multiple patents of Gillette’s MACH3. The lawsuit also alleges deceptive acts and practices, false advertising and unfair competition.
Deborah Majoras, Chief Legal Officer of P&G, said: “We invest heavily in innovation - and our scientists work tirelessly to provide men with one of the best, most reliable shaving experiences in the world.”
She added: “When a competitor makes false and misleading claims against one of our products and infringes our patents, it’s unfair to consumers, and to our employees and shareholders, and we will challenge those violations."
However, Edgewell has been standing its ground. It issued a statement, which said: “We believe P&G’s allegations have no basis. Gillette’s MACH3 patents have expired and we are confident in the quality and performance of our private label products.
“We will vigorously defend ourselves against these meritless claims and will continue to support our valued customers around the world.”
Edgewell is the parent company of a number of shaving brands including Schick and Wilkinson Sword. It also owns sun care brands Banana Boat and Hawaiin Tropic and Wet Ones wipes.
Gillette, meanwhile, is one of P&G’s leading personal care brands. It recently launched its Fusion ProShield razor, which provides lubrication both before and after the blades in order to offer maximum protection for the skin (pictured).