Supermarket price wars leads to trade mark dispute
Partner
UK
I am a partner in our Intellectual Property practice based in London, specialising in IP litigation across a range of rights including patents, trade marks, designs and confidential information. I frequently act in complex litigation (often with a cross-border element) and have represented clients before the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court and IPEC, and the CJEU, as well as in proceedings before the EUIPO/UKIPO. My clients range from some of the biggest brands in the world through to SMEs, and they operate across a broad spectrum of sectors including Retail & Consumer, Life Sciences and Financial Services.
The grocery retail market in the UK is highly competitive. Big supermarkets are constantly vying with each other to win and retain customer loyalty. In years gone by, the market was dominated by the ‘big four’ – Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, and Morrisons. More recently though, their grip on the market has been increasingly loosened by newer entrants. Discount supermarkets such as Lidl and Aldi, have made a name for themselves with a focus on value for money. It’s against this backdrop that an interesting trade mark dispute has arisen between Lidl and Tesco.
