News Archive
All published trademark-news articles.
High Court finds Trek infringed Clarks footwear marks
Published: 3 September 2026A High Court judgment has clarified the boundaries of a 2001 co-existence agreement between footwear maker C & J Clark International and cycling specialist Trek Bicycle Corporation. The court held that Trek breached the…
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Court of Appeal Clarifies Test for Threats Injunctions
Published: 1 September 2026The Court of Appeal has delivered an important ruling on interim relief in trade mark threat cases. Bargain Busting Limited, which owns several UK registrations incorporating the word CRYSTAL for vaping products, sent le…
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Brillux Secures Partial Block on 'Life of Colour' Mark
Published: 30 August 2026The German paint manufacturer Brillux has succeeded in a European Union trade mark opposition, leading to partial rejection of an application for the mark "Life of Colour". Officials at the EU Intellectual Property Offic…
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Court of Appeal Clarifies Termination of Indefinite Trade Mark Licence
Published: 29 August 2026The Court of Appeal has ruled that a trade mark licence agreement expressed to continue "indefinitely" may be terminated by the licensee on reasonable notice, distinguishing such arrangements from perpetual licences. The…
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UKIPO Refuses Dr Watson Clothing Trade Mark
Published: 28 August 2026A Manchester businessman’s attempt to register “Dr Watson” as a UK trade mark for leisurewear, sportswear, footwear and headgear has been rejected by the UK Intellectual Property Office following an opposition by the Con…
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Vogue Succeeds in Blocking Next Vogue Trade Mark
Published: 27 August 2026The owners of the Vogue fashion magazine have successfully opposed a UK trade mark application for “Next Vogue” in respect of pet toys and related goods. UKIPO hearing officers found a likelihood of confusion, concluding…
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IPEC Upholds Pear Trade Marks in Infringement Dispute
Published: 26 August 2026A recent Intellectual Property Enterprise Court ruling has confirmed the validity of two UK trade marks for Asian pears, rejecting claims that the signs MOUNTAIN PEAR and YU LU FRAGRANT PEAR were generic, descriptive or…
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UKIPO Issues Fresh Guidance on Bad Faith in Trade Mark Filings
Published: 25 August 2026The UK Intellectual Property Office published updated examination practice in July 2025, with effects continuing into 2026, requiring examiners to raise bad faith objections where specifications are manifestly broad with…
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Jellycat Sues Retailers Over Copycat Plush Toys
Published: 24 August 2026Jellycat, the UK plush toy maker, filed claims in the High Court in May 2026 against Next Retail, Hamleys of London and Bessie London. The actions allege trade mark infringement and passing off in relation to similar sof…
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UKIPO Invalidates NIUXX Trade Mark in Recent Ruling
Published: 23 August 2026The UK Intellectual Property Office has ruled on an invalidity action targeting the NIUXX mark. The decision, issued on 19 August 2026 by Hearing Officer Mrs E Fisher, addressed the registration in class 20. Grounds incl…
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IPEC Delivers Split Decision in Wise Trade Mark Dispute
Published: 22 August 2026The Intellectual Property Enterprise Court has handed down judgment in a dispute between Wise Payments Limited and With Wise Limited concerning use of the sign “Wise”. Wise Payments, the fintech firm formerly known as Tr…
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Court of Appeal Clarifies Unregistered Licence Damages
Published: 20 August 2026In May 2026 the Court of Appeal handed down judgment in Lifestyle Equities CV v Frasers Group Trading Ltd. The case concerned UK trade marks for the Beverly Hills Polo Club brand. Lifestyle Equities, the proprietor, and…
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UKIPO Rules on TaurusDB Trade Mark Opposition
Published: 19 August 2026The UK Intellectual Property Office recently issued a hearing officer decision in an opposition against trade mark application UK00004143246 for the mark TaurusDB. The proceeding, decided on 17 August 2026 by Joanne Robe…
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UKIPO Rejects Chef Mark Opposition in August Ruling
Published: 18 August 2026The UK Intellectual Property Office recently dismissed an opposition against the figurative mark "Lecon Chef". The application, filed under number UK00003904601, faced challenge in standard opposition proceedings before…
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Court of Appeal backs Google in YouTube Shorts trade mark appeal
Published: 17 August 2026The Court of Appeal has unanimously dismissed an appeal by Shorts International Ltd against Google LLC. The dispute centred on Google’s YouTube Shorts service, a platform for short-form user-generated videos launched in…
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UKIPO Decides Supere Mark Opposition
Published: 16 August 2026In May 2026 the UK Intellectual Property Office issued a decision in opposition proceedings brought by Liu Mei Xiang against Supere Limited’s application to register the word mark Supere. The application, filed in Januar…
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UKIPO Decides GEO Organics Invalidity Action
Published: 15 August 2026In early August 2026 the UK Intellectual Property Office issued a decision in invalidity proceedings concerning the GEO and GEO ORGANICS marks registered in classes 29 and 30. The action relied on relative grounds under…
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Court of Appeal upholds AGA trade mark infringement ruling
Published: 14 August 2026The Court of Appeal has confirmed trade mark infringement in AGA Rangemaster Group Ltd v UK Innovations Group Ltd & Anor. The defendants converted second-hand AGA range cookers to run on electricity using their own eCont…
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UKIPO Rules on EFC Figurative Mark Opposition
Published: 13 August 2026The UK Intellectual Property Office issued a decision on 6 August 2026 in opposition proceedings concerning the figurative mark EFC. The application covered a wide range of classes including cosmetics, electronics, vehic…
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IPEC Dismisses easyGroup Claims in Easy Bathrooms Dispute
Published: 12 August 2026The Intellectual Property Enterprise Court has ruled in favour of bathroom retailer Cubico (UK) Limited, trading as Easy Bathrooms, in a trademark infringement and passing off action brought by easyGroup Limited. In a ju…
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Court of Appeal Upholds Position Mark Invalidation
Published: 10 August 2026The Court of Appeal has upheld the High Court’s decision to invalidate six UK position mark registrations owned by Thom Browne in proceedings against Adidas. Position marks combine a visual element with its specific plac…
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UKIPO partially revokes Frasers marks in major consolidated case
Published: 9 August 2026The UK Intellectual Property Office has issued a substantial decision in consolidated revocation, invalidation and opposition proceedings involving multiple marks incorporating the term FRASERS. The Registrar considered…
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UKIPO Clears HO LEE FOOK Mark After Morality Objection
Published: 8 August 2026The UK Intellectual Property Office has allowed registration of trade mark application UK00004106970 for HO LEE FOOK, overturning an initial refusal under section 3(3)(a) of the Trade Marks Act 1994. The mark, used by a…
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UKIPO Rules on Gluggle Jug Invalidity Action
Published: 7 August 2026The UK Intellectual Property Office has issued a decision in invalidity proceedings concerning marks for Gluggle Jug and The Original Gluggle Jug in class 21. The action, decided on 4 August 2026 by Hearing Officer Ms Le…
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Court of Appeal Rules on SHORTSTV Trade Mark Validity
Published: 6 August 2026The Court of Appeal has upheld a High Court decision that the word mark SHORTSTV is partially invalid for most goods and services. Shorts International Ltd brought proceedings against Google LLC over use of signs in conn…
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UKIPO Rules on Ingram Figurative Mark Opposition
Published: 5 August 2026A recent UKIPO opposition decision addressed relative grounds challenges against a figurative trade mark application for INGRAM in class 03. The proceedings, decided on 17 July 2026 by hearing officer Ms Rhea Morris, con…
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UKIPO Invalidates Third-Party Wordle Mark on Bad Faith Grounds
Published: 4 August 2026The UK Intellectual Property Office has ruled in consolidated opposition and invalidation proceedings that a third-party international registration designating the UK for the mark WORDLE must be invalidated. The decision…
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UK High Court Rules on Bottles Trade Mark Clash
Published: 3 August 2026A recent High Court judgment addressed claims of trade mark infringement and passing off concerning replacement and refill bottles for consumer products. The court examined whether the defendant's use of similar packagin…
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UKIPO Rules in Major Frasers Trademark Dispute
Published: 2 August 2026In a landmark April 2026 decision, the UK Intellectual Property Office resolved the largest set of consolidated trademark proceedings to date. Registrar S Wilson determined more than thirty revocation, invalidity and opp…
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UKIPO Decides KP Pharma Health Opposition
Published: 1 August 2026A recent fast-track opposition before the UK Intellectual Property Office saw HN Merchants Limited challenge an application by KP Pharma Health Ltd for a figurative mark covering goods and services in classes 3, 5, 9, 10…
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UKIPO Rules in SPARKY Trade Mark Opposition
Published: 31 July 2026The UK Intellectual Property Office has issued a decision in an opposition concerning the SPARKY trade mark. The application, numbered UK00004121897, covers classes 9, 35 and 42. Hearing Officer Mrs Suzanne Hitchings del…
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UKIPO Decides DD Figurative Mark Opposition
Published: 30 July 2026UKIPO hearing officer Dr Stylianos Alexandridis issued decision O/0583/26 on 6 July 2026 following an opposition against registration of a figurative DD mark in classes 18 and 25. The proceedings involved relative ground…
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High Court Rules on Brexit Trademark Filing Dates
Published: 29 July 2026A recent High Court judgment has clarified key aspects of assessing UK trademark applications linked to pre-Brexit EU filings. In Parabolica Ltd v Tesla Holding AS, the court considered an opposition to a UK mark applica…
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UKIPO Dismisses Unifood Opposition on Evidence Grounds
Published: 28 July 2026The UK Intellectual Property Office has dismissed an opposition brought by Unifood against a trade mark application filed by Unisnacks. The opponent sought to rely on the reputation of its earlier marks but submitted evi…
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UKIPO Upholds McDonald’s Family of Marks Against McHug Bid
Published: 27 July 2026The UK Intellectual Property Office has ruled in favour of McDonald’s in opposition proceedings against an application by Nigel McHugh to register “The McHug or The McHug Burger” for food and drink services. The hearing…
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UKIPO Revokes Blue Crystal Trade Mark
Published: 26 July 2026The UK Intellectual Property Office issued a revocation decision on 7 July 2026 concerning the trade mark Blue Crystal, registered under number UK00003330869. The ruling followed an application for revocation, with the h…
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UKIPO Decides KARAT Mark Revocation
Published: 25 July 2026A UK Intellectual Property Office hearing officer issued a decision on 13 July 2026 in a revocation action concerning two KARAT marks, one figurative series and one word mark. The proceedings addressed revocation on grou…
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Supreme Court Invalidates Post Milk Generation Mark
Published: 24 July 2026The UK Supreme Court has upheld the invalidity of a trade mark registration for “POST MILK GENERATION” in relation to oat-based food and drink products. The ruling confirms that the mark cannot stand because its use for…
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UKIPO Decides SHEIN BELLE Opposition
Published: 23 July 2026The UK Intellectual Property Office recently issued a decision in opposition proceedings concerning the figurative mark SHEIN BELLE in class 25. The hearing officer considered grounds under sections 5(1), 5(2) and 5(3) o…
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Supreme Court Affirms Post-Sale Context in Trade Mark Cases
Published: 22 July 2026The UK Supreme Court has delivered an important ruling on assessing similarity and confusion in trade mark infringement claims. Iconix Luxembourg, owner of the Umbro sportswear brand, sued Dream Pairs over footwear beari…
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UK High Court settles Wise trademark clash
Published: 21 July 2026In a notable 2025 ruling from the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court, Wise Payments Limited faced off against With Wise Limited over use of the word “WISE”. The claimant, which had rebranded from TransferWise in 2021…
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Court of Appeal Raises Bar for Cease-and-Desist Injunctions
Published: 17 July 2026The UK Court of Appeal has delivered a ruling that sets a higher threshold for obtaining injunctions to restrain the sending of trademark cease-and-desist letters, marking the first time such correspondence has been exam…
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UKIPO Rules in Casablanca Records Opposition
Published: 16 July 2026A recent decision from the UK Intellectual Property Office addressed an opposition to the registration of the mark CASABLANCA RECORDS in class 25. The proceedings, decided on 13 July 2026 by Hearing Officer Teresa Pinto,…
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EUIPO Grand Board Examines PDO Logo as Collective Mark
Published: 15 July 2026The EUIPO Grand Board of Appeal delivered a decision on 14 May 2026 in case R 1946/2024 G concerning the registrability of the mandatory protected designation of origin logo used for the Italian cheese Salva Cremasco as…
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UKIPO Rejects Picasso Family Opposition to Whiskey Mark
Published: 14 July 2026A UKIPO hearing officer has dismissed an opposition brought by Florian Ruiz-Picasso, great-grandson of the artist, against a third-party application to register PICASSO for whiskey and related goods. The opponent relied…
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Court of Appeal Upholds AGA Cooker Trade Mark Ruling
Published: 12 July 2026The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by UK Innovations Group in a long-running dispute with AGA Rangemaster over the refurbishment and marketing of second-hand AGA cookers. The court confirmed that the company inf…
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UKIPO Rejects GymBull Mark on Bad Faith Grounds
Published: 11 July 2026The UK Intellectual Property Office has refused registration of the GymBull mark following an opposition by fitness apparel company Gymshark. The applicant, an Emirati businessman, sought to register the mark for clothin…
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UKIPO Decides Flake Bake Trademark Clash
Published: 10 July 2026Two small UK companies locked horns at the UKIPO over near-identical marks for pastries and bakery retail services. Flake Bake Ltd applied in February 2024 to register “Flake Bake” in classes 30 and 35. Flakey Bakes Ltd…
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UKIPO Rejects Tyre Retailer's Converse Mark Bid
Published: 9 July 2026A UKIPO hearing officer has upheld an opposition by a Nike subsidiary against an application to register the word Converse as a trade mark for tyres and related retail services. The applicant, a tyre retailer, sought pro…
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Aston Martin Appeals UKIPO Wing Logo Decision
Published: 20 June 2026The UK Intellectual Property Office dismissed Aston Martin Lagonda’s opposition to three wing-shaped logo applications filed in 2022 by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group for motor vehicles in class 12. The marks relate to des…
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Court of Appeal Rules Aldi Infringed Thatchers Cider Trade Mark
Published: 19 June 2026The Court of Appeal has overturned an earlier Intellectual Property Enterprise Court ruling and held that Aldi Stores Limited infringed Thatchers Cider Company Limited’s registered trade mark for its cloudy lemon cider.…
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UKIPO Invalidates Mark in June Decision
Published: 18 June 2026The UK Intellectual Property Office recently determined an invalidity action concerning the registered mark THE CRYSTAL PRO MAX in class 34. The decision, issued on 11 June 2026 by Hearing Officer Mrs D Ferrari, forms pa…
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Court of Appeal Clarifies Zaha Hadid Trade Mark Licence Terms
Published: 17 June 2026The Court of Appeal has ruled that a trade mark licence agreement for the “Zaha Hadid” name, which stated it would continue “indefinitely” without express termination rights for the licensee, was not perpetual. The licen…
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UKIPO Backs Clipper Tea in Rival Opposition
Published: 16 June 2026Kallo, owner of the well-known Clipper Tea brand, has succeeded in UKIPO opposition and invalidation proceedings against marks filed by The 1872 Clipper Tea Co. The hearing officer found a likelihood of indirect confusio…
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CJEU Clarifies Post-Brexit UK Rights in EU Oppositions
Published: 11 June 2026The Court of Justice of the European Union delivered judgment on 5 February 2026 in EUIPO v Nowhere Co Ltd, concerning an opposition to an EU figurative mark filed in 2015 for clothing and related goods. The opposition r…
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High Court Delivers First AI Trademark Ruling
Published: 10 June 2026In November 2025 the High Court of England and Wales issued judgment in Getty Images v Stability AI. Mrs Justice Joanna Smith examined claims that the defendant’s Stable Diffusion model infringed the claimant’s registere…
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UKIPO Decides Largest Frasers Trademark Dispute
Published: 8 June 2026In a landmark UK Intellectual Property Office decision issued on 7 April 2026, the Registrar determined more than thirty consolidated revocation, invalidity and opposition actions involving marks incorporating the name F…
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Supreme Court Upholds Ban on Oatly 'Milk' Mark
Published: 7 June 2026The UK Supreme Court has confirmed that Oatly AB’s registered trade mark “POST MILK GENERATION” is invalid for oat-based food and drink products. The decision, reported in early 2026, upheld earlier rulings by the UK Int…
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High Court Rules on Bad Faith Date in Tesla Mark Opposition
Published: 6 June 2026A UK High Court decision has clarified the relevant date for assessing bad faith in opposition proceedings involving UK trade mark applications derived from earlier EU filings under the Withdrawal Agreement. Parabolica L…
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UKIPO Invalidates WORDLE Mark in Bad Faith Ruling
Published: 5 June 2026The UK Intellectual Property Office has upheld an invalidity action brought by The New York Times against a UK designation of an international registration for WORDLE. The mark, owned by Stefan Heine, covered goods and s…
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Court of Appeal Invalidates Adidas Stripe Position Marks
Published: 4 June 2026The UK Court of Appeal has upheld the invalidity of six Adidas position trade marks featuring three stripes on clothing, footwear and related goods. In Thom Browne Inc v Adidas AG, the court confirmed that the marks fail…
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