News & Events

Latest updates

3rd August 2021
Non-dairy giant vs UK family farm – Oat milk brand battle

Earlier this year we looked at M&S v Aldi in the Caterpillar wars, and the case at the moment is Oatly v Glebe Farms. In an [Oat]shell: Swedish drinks firm …

Read article
3rd August 2021
Conceptual Similarity – the key to likelihood of confusion?

BareMinerals v BareFace Minerals – case O/060/21 (January 2021) In March 2020, Shiseido Americas Corporation (“SAC”) filed an application to invalidate UK registration No. 3114196 “BareFace Minerals” in the name …

Read article
3rd August 2021
Battle of the Banksy trade marks

Between 2014 and 2019 Banksy applied and registered 14 European Union trade marks for some of his most famous artworks. However, over the last 2 years several of these registrations …

Read article
22nd April 2021
Copycat routes of action – decisive protection for designers

IPEC handed down a victory on 19th November 2020 to Italian manufacturer Freddy SpA. This company distributed a pair of trousers known as WR.UP pants (launched in 2012) – designed …

Read article
22nd April 2021
Long road for Halloumi

In a previous issue of Retail Scanner in July 2020, we discussed the CJEU decision in the long running dispute over the marks “HALLOUMI” and “BBQLOUMI”, brought by the Foundation …

Read article
22nd April 2021
Descriptive company names – Dairy Partners BV vs DOC Dairy Partners Limited

In a long-awaited decision, the Dutch Supreme Court has recently handed down a judgement providing clarity on the conditions for protection of more or less descriptive company names in the …

Read article
22nd April 2021
Everything but the…shops

Over the last year, online retailers have been snapping up high street brands but not their stores. In February, Arcadia’s TOPSHOP, TOPMAN, MISS SELFRIDGE and HIIT brands sold to ASOS …

Read article
22nd April 2021
Product upcycling and brand owners

Upcycling has become increasingly popular in recent years, the increase in environmental awareness amongst both businesses and consumers driving the trend, but with this comes new challenges for brand owners. …

Read article
27th November 2020
The skin we don’t live in

Veganism has surged in popularity in recent years, with more than 600,000 self -described vegans in the United Kingdom as of 2018, up from 150,000 in 2006.[1] Now attention is …

Read article