Trademark Class 32: Water, Non-Alcoholic Beverages & Beer

Key Takeaways

• Covers non-alcoholic beverages and beer. Most other alcoholic drinks fall under Class 33.
• Protects your brand name, logo, label, and tagline, not the taste or formula.
• Includes packaged water, soft drinks, juices, energy drinks, concentrates, RTD drinks, plant-based drinks, and fermented non-alcoholic beverages.
• Excludes wine and spirits (Class 33), tea, coffee, and cocoa drinks (Class 30), dairy drinks (Class 29), medicinal drinks (Class 5), and beverage containers (Classes 20 and 21).
• Filing fees are ₹4,500 per class for individuals and small enterprises and ₹9,000 per class for other applicants.
• Register for multiple classes if your products span different categories.
• Use specific product descriptions to reduce the chances of objections.
• Registration typically takes 12 to 18 months, remains valid for 10 years, and can be renewed indefinitely. 

What is Trademark Class 32 in India? Definition and Scope

Trademark Class 32 protects non-alcoholic beverages and beverage preparations for human consumption, with one exception. Beer, including ales, stouts, porters, and lagers, stays under Class 32, while Class 33 covers wines, spirits, and distilled liquors. It applies to businesses that manufacture, sell, distribute, or brand drinks. It protects only brand identifiers such as the name, logo, label, and tagline, not the taste, formula, or ingredients.

India follows the Nice Classification, an international framework under the Nice Agreement and administered by World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The Trade Marks Act, 1999, adopts this system for registering different types of trademarks.

Which Goods are Covered Under Trademark Class 32: Detailed List

Trademark Class 32 covers non-alcoholic beverages, beer, and related products, including drinks and preparations used to make beverages. This class ensures your beverage brand receives legal protection for all covered products. 

Below is the Trademark Class 32 goods list:

Category / Examples of Goods Covered	Description
Beer and Beer-Based Products	Beer, ale, lager, stout, and non-alcoholic or low-alcohol beer variants, wine, and spirits
Packaged Drinking Water	Mineral water, purified water, spring water, aerated water, and bottled drinking water are sold for everyday consumption
Soft Drinks and Carbonated Beverages	Carbonated soft drinks, flavored sodas, fizzy drinks, colas, non-alcoholic carbonated beverages
Fruit and Vegetable Beverages	Fruit juices, vegetable juices, mixed juice drinks, fruit-based beverages, non-alcoholic juice blends
Energy and Sports Drinks	Energy drinks, sports drinks, electrolyte drinks, isotonic beverages, performance hydration drinks
Flavored and Functional Beverages	Flavored water, vitamin-enriched drinks, fortified non-alcoholic beverages, and functional drinks not classified as medicinal
Beverage Preparations and Concentrates	Syrups, concentrates, powders, and essences used to prepare non-alcoholic drinks
Non-Alcoholic Malt and Cereal Drinks	Non-alcoholic malt beverages, cereal-based non-alcoholic drinks
Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Non-Alcoholic Beverages	Packaged, ready-to-consume non-alcoholic drinks sold through retail and e-commerce platforms
Plant-Based and Non-Dairy Beverages	Beverages made from soy, almond, oat, rice, or other plant-based sources
Fermented Non-Alcoholic Beverages	Kombucha, kefir, and other non-alcoholic fermented drinks

Note: If your brand sells both ready-to-drink beverages and concentrates, list both for full protection under Class 32.

Goods Not Covered Under Trademark Class 32

Although Class 32 covers a wide range of non-alcoholic beverages, beer, and related products, some items fall outside its scope. These include:

• Wine and spirits: Wine, whisky, rum, vodka, and other distilled or fermented alcoholic beverages besides beer (covered under Class 33).
• Tea, coffee, and cocoa-based drinks: Instant tea, coffee mixes, and cocoa beverages (covered under Class 30).
• Milk and dairy-based beverages: Milk drinks, milkshakes, yogurt drinks, buttermilk, dairy-based smoothies, and lassi (covered under Class 29).
• Medicinal and health drinks: Nutritional supplements, therapeutic drinks, and medical beverages (covered under Class 5).
• Beverage containers and packaging: Bottles, cans, jars, and packaging materials (they fall under Class 20 or Class 21, depending on the material).

If you know what trademark class for non alcoholic drinks excludes, you can file your trademark correctly on the first try. Use a free trademark class search tool to identify the right class for your products and avoid classification errors.

How to Register a Trademark Under Class 32?

You can register a Class 32 trademark by filing Form TM-A online or offline with the Trademark Registry. Select “proposed to be used” for an unlaunched brand or “already in use” for a brand already on the market. Here’s the process:

1. Conduct a Trademark Search

• Check whether your brand name or logo already exists under Class 32.
• Use the official IP India trademark database or take professional assistance for a detailed search.

Use a free trademark name availability check tool to quickly verify whether your desired name or logo is available.

2. Select the Right Goods Description

• Clearly mention all non-alcoholic beverages you want to protect under Class 32.
• Include products such as packaged drinking water, soft drinks, juices, energy drinks, or beverage concentrates.

3. File the Trademark Application (Form TM-A)

• Submit the application online through the IP India portal or offline at the Trademark Registry.
• Provide your brand name, logo (if any), detailed goods description, and applicant information.
• Pay the applicable filing fee. Typically, the registration fee is ₹4,500 for individuals or small enterprises and ₹9,000 for other applicants.

4. Examination by the Trademark Office

• The Trademark Registrar examines your application for similarity, errors, or legal issues.
• If required, an Examination Report may be issued seeking clarification or changes.

5. Publication in the Trademark Journal

• Once accepted, your trademark is published in the Trademark Journal.
• This allows the public to file opposition within the statutory period, usually four months.

6. Registration and Issuance of Certificate

• If no opposition is filed or objections are resolved, the trademark is registered.
• You receive the Trademark Registration Certificate, granting exclusive rights under Class 32.
• The registration is valid for 10 years, and you can renew the trademark every 10 years. 

Once approved, you receive the certificate, granting exclusive rights under Class 32 of trademarks. The entire registration process of this trademark class takes around 12–18 months.

Classes Similar to Class 32: When Should Beverage Brands Opt for Multi-Class Filing?

Trademark Class 32 covers non-alcoholic beverages, beer, and drink preparations. However, many beverage businesses offer products that fall under multiple trademark classes. Filing under only Class 32 may leave parts of your product range unprotected. 

Below are the different classes of trademarks most commonly related to Class 32 and how they differ:

Trademark Class	Goods Covered	How It Differs from Class 32
Class 33	Wine, whisky, rum, vodka, and other distilled or fermented spirits	Covers spirits and wine, while Class 32 covers beer alongside non-alcoholic beverages
Class 30	Tea, coffee, cocoa, and beverage mixes	Covers hot and cocoa-based drinks, not soft drinks or bottled beverages
Class 29	Milk, dairy drinks, yogurt-based beverages, lassi	Covers dairy-based beverages, whereas Class 32 excludes milk products
Class 5	Medicinal and nutritional drinks, health supplements	Applies to therapeutic or medical beverages, not regular consumable drinks
Class 21	Beverage containers, bottles, flasks, and drinkware	Covers containers and utensils, not the beverage itself

Understanding related trademark classes matters most when your brand spans multiple beverage categories. For example, PepsiCo files its soft drinks and juices under Class 32 and its Lay’s snacks under Classes 29 and 30. Unilever’s packaged tea brand Lipton, sold in India through a joint venture with PepsiCo, is filed under Class 30, keeping each product line protected under the correct class. 

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