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…

Chinese broadcaster PPTV ordered to pay £156m to Premier League

Mr Justice Fraser, sitting in the High Court has ruled that PPLive Sports International, a broadcaster based in Hong Kong must pay more than £150m to the Premier League. PPLive signed a deal with the Premier League to show both live and delayed football matches and game highlights across China. The deal was set to…

Miami jury rules in favour of Craig Wright, claimed bitcoin inventor

Craig Wright, an Australian computer scientist who lives in the UK has won a civil trial in Miami against the family of his late business partner and computer forensics expert, David Kleiman. Wright claims that the win shows he is the inventor of Bitcoin.   Kleiman’s family claimed that he and Mr Wright had been…

Lidl loses trademark battle over Hendrick’s gin lookalike

Lidl has been forced to temporarily stop selling a version of one of its own brand gins after being sued by the makers of Hendrick’s gin who claim a trademark has been infringed. Hendrick’s gin bottles bear a diamond-shaped label in a trademark. Lidl is defending the case and claims there are “clear and obvious…

Marks & Spencer launches legal actions against Aldi over Colin the Caterpillar cake rival Cuthbert

Marks & Spencer (“M&S”) has lodged an intellectual property claim with the High Court against Aldi in an effort to protect its Colin the Caterpillar cake with a claim that Aldi’s Cuthbert the Caterpillar product infringes its trademark. M&S argues that the similarity of Aldi’s product leads consumers to believe they are of the same…

Nike is suing New York studio MSCHF and musician Lil Nas for trademark infringement over its Satan Shoes

Nike is suing New York studio MSCHF for trademark infringement over its Satan Shoes, collaboration with musician Lil Nas X that customised 666 pairs of trainers with human blood and pentagrams. Nike said the altered shoes, which still display its signature swoosh logo, are causing people to believe “Nike is endorsing Satanism” and causing “calls to boycott” their…

Pearl Jam tribute band change name after legal dispute

London based tribute band Pearl Jamm have changed their name to Legal Jam after the real Pearl Jam allegedly threatened  legal proceedings against them stating that “their name, domain name and merchandise is damaging the Pearl Jam brand and causing confusion.’ According to Pearl Jamm, Pearl Jam asked them to change their name, hand over their domain…

The Gin Guild issues legal action against on producers falsely labelling products as ‘gins’

The Gin Guild has issued a pre-legal action notice to the Pentone family who produce Red Storm and Ocean Storm for wrongly labelling the spirits as ‘gin’, despite only being 29% ABV.   It now intends to secure enforcement against those seeking to abuse the name and standing of the gin category, and to ensure…