Waitrose threatens Asda with legal challenge over ‘Just Essentials’ budget range

According to reports Waitrose has sent a legal letter to Asda after Asda unveiled its new discount product range, called Just Essentials by Asda.

Asda will roll out the new range to replace Smart Price over the summer, however, Waitrose says the branding is too similar to its own Essentials range, which was launched in 2009. Asda says ‘essentials’ is a ‘commonly-used term’ for discount product ranges.

Waitrose, which is owned by the John Lewis Partnership, said it had written to Asda raising trademark concerns and was awaiting a response.  A spokesman told the BBC: “We were surprised to hear that Asda is launching an essentials range as the Essential Waitrose brand has been in use since 2009 and has built up a strong reputation for value, quality and higher welfare standards in that time. As we’ve also protected the name as a trademark, we have raised this with Asda and are awaiting a response.”

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