Tesco and Lidl sue over similar logo trademarks

The “Battle of supermarkets” continues.

British grocery retailer Tesco continues dispute with Lidl about the use of similar trademarks. The disputes are taking place from the beginning of 2023 – in the press they are called “the battle of supermarkets”.

At the center of the dispute was the Tesco logo, which is used to promote the loyalty program Clubcard Prices. It is well associated with discounters Lidl a yellow circle on a blue background. Tesco says that the sign itself, without any mention of Lidl, has no reference to the competitor. The case has already been heard in the Court of Appeal in London. 

“This is an unused trademark logo that has been applied to reinforce the protection of the Lidl logo,” commented Simon Malinich, a Tesco spokesman. Last time, the court sided with the German retailer, after which Tesco decided to initiate a retaliatory claim and accused the competitor of “bad faith.” 

For its part, Lidl repeatedly said that Tesco is trying to take advantage of the brand’s strong reputation in the low-price segment by using its logo in the form of a yellow circle on a yellow background. The company plans to continue seeking a court injunction against the competitor’s use of the trademark. A final ruling on the case will be issued early next year after both lawsuits are heard.