Settlement on Long-Running Bagpipe Seasoning Dispute

Bagpipe manufacturers RG Hardie & Co and businessman Mr David Ogilvie have reached an agreement concerning the famous ‘Airtight’ bag seasoning. An agreed statement as per the settlement agreement, the terms of which are confidential, is as follows:

airtightin plastic bottle
The real thing….

‘R. G. Hardie & Co Ltd wish it to be known that they accept that Mr Ogilvie purchased the company of Robertsons Original seasoning in good faith and was not fully advised of the longstanding legal issues surrounding that company. That company has now been dissolved and the new company of James Robertson Ltd. is free to sell and promote its own brand of seasoning in its own distinctive packaging which is completely different to ‘Airtight’.’

Earlier St Kilda (Holdings) Ltd., the parent company of RG Hardie & Co., won a court order banning the manufacture of ‘Robertsons Original Seasoning’ by Mr Ogilvie’s company. St Kilda obtained the interdict at a court hearing in Dundee on March 15.

The interdict banned  ‘Robertsons Original Seasoning’, their agents, contractors and employees from selling, advertising seasoning packaged in a manner that closely resembles Airtight, or describing it as being associated with the original seasoning recipe of the James Robertson and/or the Robertson brand.

The court order stated that Robertson’s Original Seasoning Company should not be selling any seasoning in a package that so closely resembles the packaging of our Airtight seasoning, nor should they be making any claims or connections to the Robertson’s brand.

The distinct packaging and the ‘Original’ Robertson’s seasoning recipe has been the property of Hardies since 1966. The company was concerned to ensure there was no confusion in the market place based on inaccurate statements.

RG Hardie logo

RG Hardie’s ‘Airtight’ seasoning is the biggest selling bag seasoning on the market.  The recipe for the seasoning was acquired by the company in 1966 when they bought out the Edinburgh-based bagpipe firm of James Robertson, the originators of the ‘Airtight’ brand.

Mr Alastair Dunn, Managing Director of RG Hardie and a Director of St Kilda Holdings, said: ‘Our interest all along has been to protect our brand and we hope, now that agreement has been reached, everyone concerned can move on.’


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1 thought on “Settlement on Long-Running Bagpipe Seasoning Dispute

  1. would have been better if the present business men involved ,had not started trading on the old names of Robertson and Hardie..and had used new trading titles…these companies have long gone..and in truth when you buy a product carrying these famous names from the past…its not *what it says on the label…*
    We have in Edinburgh kilt and tartan tack shops using previous owners names…one famous one on the Lawnmarket comes to mind,…its just not politically correct…is it?….

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