Wheel, which has been advertised with the punchline "Nimbu ke saath. Bedaag safai, super safai" (with lemon, spotless cleanliness, super cleanliness), comes packaged in a distinct green and yellow wrapper, with a lemon prominently displayed on it.

Interestingly, HLL had earlier maintained that "lemon has been part of the brand (Wheel) since 1992 and as such consumers instantaneously associate this key ingredient as part of their brand, as evidenced through consumer research."

Hindustan Lever had been challenged by rival detergent maker Fena Ltd in MRTPC on the grounds of misleading detergent consumers by advertising that Wheel had the cleansing power of lemon, traditionally used in Indian households to remove stains and bleach clothes.

Fena Ltd had earlier filed a casein the Advertising Standards Council of India charging HLL of violating the council's code of honesty in advertising and making false and misleading statements.

HLL's claim is currently being contested by Fena Ltd, which has sought a ban on HLL's "misleading advertisement" under Section 36B and 12A of the MRTPC Act.

In its appeal, HLL has said it spent over Rs 50 crore on the advertising of Wheel brand over the last ten years but has never misled the consumer over Wheel's lemon content.

After Fena Ltd filed its complaint in MRTPC, the latter issued a notice of enquiry to HLL and had directed the director general (investigation and registration) to take over the matter and conduct proceedings before the commission.

While Hindustan Lever's reply was filed during the course of the latest hearing on the case last week, further hearings on the case are scheduled for February next.

The Wheel vs Fena detergent war began in October last year when HLL reportedly objected to Fena's new advertisement whichsaid lemon power was an obsolete claim and showcaused the "latest" cleaning technology in its ad.

In its hearings at the MRTPC, the company has stated that there is no material on record to show that any consumer was misled into thinking that Wheel detergent or bar contained lemon.

In its submission, HLL has also denied that lemon was the main or key ingredient in Wheel and that claims of lemon being added for better washing action on clothes and stain removal were never made by it.

The company has further clarified that Wheel detergent powder and cake contain only "lemon perfume" from natural lemon oil.

Also, HLL has pointed out that the packaging of the product does not mention that either the detergent or the cake contained lemon, as alleged by Fena Ltd.

However, the company has defended the visual depiction of lemon and its reference in product packaging due to the presence of lemon perfume.

Further contesting Fena's charge that Wheel products do not contain any lemon based on laboratory testreports, HLL has said Wheel has never claimed that it contains either citric acid or sodium citrate, so the complainant's contention may not be upheld.