Although U.S. District Court Judge Margaret M. Morrow ruled last month that hairstylist Vidal Sassoon's lawsuit against Procter & Gamble Co. was to go to trial Oct. 19 in Los Angeles, the lawsuit was settled out of court earlier this month

Drug Store News, Sept 13, 2004 by Antoinette Alexander

Although U.S. District Court Judge Margaret M. Morrow ruled last month that hairstylist Vidal Sassoon's lawsuit against Procter & Gamble Co. was to go to trial Oct. 19 in Los Angeles, the lawsuit was settled out of court earlier this month. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

Sassoon alleged that P&G made a conscious decision to starve Sassoon's hair care product line of promotional efforts and marketing money by favoring its Pantene products, thereby avoiding royalty payments to Sassoon.

Sales of Sassoon products in the United States and Europe dropped to $56 million in 2002 from $344 million in 1992. In 2003, P&G announced that it was discontinuing the line in North America and Europe.

"We are confident that the allegations will be found to be without basis," P&G stated.