Toothpaste fight gets fierce as Colgate launches herbal toothpaste to counter Patanjali

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Toothpaste fight gets fierce as Colgate launches herbal toothpaste to counter PatanjaliThe oral care segment is witnessing a battle over toothpaste like never before. In a bid to counter Baba Ramdev Patanjali’s herbal toothpaste-‘Dant Kanti’- Colgate-Palmolive is launching an Ayurved toothpaste-Cibaca Vedshakti.
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Although Colgate has a variety of toothpaste in herbal segment, Cibaca Vedshakti will be the first one in Ayurvedic segment.

"In India, the consumer believes strongly in natural ingredients. A toothpaste launching this quarter under the Cibaca sub-brand is Colgate Cibaca Vedshakti," said Bina Thompson, senior vice-president at Colgate-Palmolive, during an investor call.

Nowadays, consumers are opting for more herbal products due to which the Ayurved and natural products now account for 13-14 per cent of the overall toothpaste market.

Following Cibaca Vedshakti’s news, Patanjali said the name chosen by Colgate was inappropriate.

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"We worship and respect Vedas like our gods, we don't use them in our products. This is not a toothpaste but a direct attack on our culture," Acharya Balkrishna, MD of Patanjali Ayurved, told ET.

As per Nielsen’s data, Patanjali's oral care market share has been pegged at nearly 2 per cent in the year ended March.

Meanwhile, analysts expect Colgate will be able to fight back against local competition despite being a late mover.

Colgate's Cibaca Vedshakti will be priced at Rs 50 for a 175 gram pack, which is around 30 per cent cheaper than Dant Kanti.