UKIPO Cancels V7 Trade Mark in Invalidation Action

The UK Intellectual Property Office has upheld an invalidity application brought by Ingram Micro Inc against V7 Ltd’s registered mark V7 in class 9. The contested mark, filed in November 2018 and registered in March 2019, covered software, artificial intelligence software, laboratory instruments, character and speech recognition apparatus and related goods. Ingram Micro relied on its earlier comparable UK mark V7, originally an EUTM filed in 2015, together with claims under sections 5(2)(a), 5(3) and 5(4)(a) of the Trade Marks Act 1994, including passing off. Hearing Officer Teresa Pinto found the application successful after considering evidence of use and reputation. The registration is cancelled ab initio. Costs of £1,600 were awarded to the applicant. The decision was issued on 15 September 2026.

Small-business owners should monitor earlier identical or similar marks in their sector and maintain clear records of use to defend or challenge registrations effectively.