The Icelandic foreign ministry has launched legal action to challenge the trademark registration of Iceland by a UK supermarket chain Iceland Foods, the local news site visir.is reports. The foreign ministry argues the UK supermarket chain, which has registered a European-wide trademark for Iceland, has used its trademark rights to harass and challenge Icelandic companies which have used the term Iceland in their marketing. The Icelandic tourism board and Business Iceland have been preparing legal action against Iceland foods for some time.
Read more: Iceland is looking into how it might reclaim its name from British supermarket chain Iceland
The Icelandic foreign ministry argues that the supermarket chain has engaged in what can only be described as absurd and abusive behavior, aggressively pursued and won multiple cases against Icelandic companies which use ‘Iceland’ in their representation or as part of their trademark, even in cases when the products and services do not compete. The “unrealistic and unacceptable demands by the supermarket chain [have left] Iceland with no choice but to proceed with a legal resolution to the situation”.
The supermarket chain has even succeeded in damaging the marketing efforts of the Icelandic tourist board, and its campaign Inspired by Iceland. At the same time the supermarket has used the reputation of Iceland, for example the success of the Icelandic football team at EURO 2016, to advertise its stores and sell merchandise.
Read more: The name is ours, says the boss of the British supermarket chain Iceland
The Icelandic government has argued the trademark by Iceland foods is unreasonably broad and have requested it be revoked by the European Union Intellectual Property Office.
Iceland Foods in turn claims that the Icelandic government has made no attempts to reach an amicable resolution in the matter, and claims it regrets the decision by Iceland to seek the help of the courts in this matter.
The supermarket, which was founded in 1969, derives its name from the sale of frozen foods. Iceland, the country, which historians point out has been around somewhat longer than the supermarket chain, derives its name from sea ice spotted by one of the first Viking explorers to visit Iceland in 865. We at Iceland Insider have a hard time envisioning how the 46 year use of the word Iceland by a supermarket in the UK can trump the 1100 year use of the same word by an actual nation. But we will be following this amusing, if absurd, case with interest!
The Icelandic foreign ministry has launched legal action to challenge the trademark registration of Iceland by a UK supermarket chain Iceland Foods, the local news site visir.is reports. The foreign ministry argues the UK supermarket chain, which has registered a European-wide trademark for Iceland, has used its trademark rights to harass and challenge Icelandic companies which have used the term Iceland in their marketing. The Icelandic tourism board and Business Iceland have been preparing legal action against Iceland foods for some time.
Read more: Iceland is looking into how it might reclaim its name from British supermarket chain Iceland
The Icelandic foreign ministry argues that the supermarket chain has engaged in what can only be described as absurd and abusive behavior, aggressively pursued and won multiple cases against Icelandic companies which use ‘Iceland’ in their representation or as part of their trademark, even in cases when the products and services do not compete. The “unrealistic and unacceptable demands by the supermarket chain [have left] Iceland with no choice but to proceed with a legal resolution to the situation”.
The supermarket chain has even succeeded in damaging the marketing efforts of the Icelandic tourist board, and its campaign Inspired by Iceland. At the same time the supermarket has used the reputation of Iceland, for example the success of the Icelandic football team at EURO 2016, to advertise its stores and sell merchandise.
Read more: The name is ours, says the boss of the British supermarket chain Iceland
The Icelandic government has argued the trademark by Iceland foods is unreasonably broad and have requested it be revoked by the European Union Intellectual Property Office.
Iceland Foods in turn claims that the Icelandic government has made no attempts to reach an amicable resolution in the matter, and claims it regrets the decision by Iceland to seek the help of the courts in this matter.
The supermarket, which was founded in 1969, derives its name from the sale of frozen foods. Iceland, the country, which historians point out has been around somewhat longer than the supermarket chain, derives its name from sea ice spotted by one of the first Viking explorers to visit Iceland in 865. We at Iceland Insider have a hard time envisioning how the 46 year use of the word Iceland by a supermarket in the UK can trump the 1100 year use of the same word by an actual nation. But we will be following this amusing, if absurd, case with interest!
