News & Events

[Un]Fair Play – A look at the Thatchers and Lidl judgements

We look at unfair advantage and detriment through the lens of the recent Lidl v Tesco and Thatchers v Aldi judgments. Two very different outcomes on the same legal principles …

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Who earns their stripes

Adidas the well known German sportwear and apparel brand,  around 1949 started using three stripes on a pair of running shoes, with the three stripes now being an integral part …

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Trouble in “Motherland” – Mothercare and Poundland in Trade Mark Dispute

The UK baby care market was valued at an estimated £1.3 billion in 2020, so it is little wonder that Mothercare found itself ‘rattled’ at the prospect of Poundland allegedly …

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Scooping up the essentials

We have previously touched on high street brands where the IP has been acquired, but not necessarily the stores and revisit with some of the business movements ongoing recently. According to …

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A late Christmas present for M&S in Christmas gin bottle design dispute

On the 27th February 2024, the English Court of Appeal rejected an appeal by Aldi Stores Limited (‘Aldi’)  against an earlier decision of the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (‘IPEC’) on …

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Brand Collaborations: Partnerships and Placement

I have not met many watch aficionados in my time, but some watch makers and/or brands transcend the aficionado space and become recognised amongst the masses. Omega is certainly one …

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Name that sign! Can a geometric sign be a badge of trade origin?

In a nutshell, yes it can! As long as the sign itself functions as a trade mark and fulfils the basic criteria of being a source identifier and distinguishing goods …

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Original Equipment Manufacturer “OEM” : Practical Considerations in China for retailers

With China being known as the “factory of the world,” Original Equipment Manufacturing and the intellectual property impact are essential considerations for retailers to ensure this is navigated correctly. OEMs …

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Where could Generative AI’s impact be most clearly felt in the retail sector?

Roy Amara, a researcher and computer scientist at the Stanford Research Institute, now called SRI International, coined the so-called Amara’s Law in the 1960s: “We overestimate the impact of technology …

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