On January 4, 2023, the Shanghai Third Intermediate People’s Court announced it affirmed a 3-year prison sentence and 100,000 RMB fine for Wang XX for crime of counterfeiting the registered collective trademark “Bordeaux.” Yantai Wine Co., Ltd. was also fined 450,000 RMB. The defendants had appealed the original sentencing on the grounds that the wine involved in the case complied with national standards and did not endanger the health rights and interests of consumers and therefore Wang XX should receive …
Category: Trademarks
Shanghai Third Intermediate Court Affirms 5-Year Prison Sentence for Counterfeit Alpenliebe Candy in Criminal Trademark Case
On December 19, 2022, the Shanghai Third Intermediate Court announced the affirmance of a 5-year prison sentence and 2.2 million RMB fine for Wu XX for for the crime of selling Alpenliebe candy with counterfeit registered trademarks. Perfetti Van Melle, the maker of the Alpenliebe candy is an Italian-Dutch multinational company of confectionery and gum and the sixth largest confectionery manufacturer in the world.
Mast-Jägermeister SE Wins 10 Million RMB at Beijing IP Court for Trademark Infringement and Unfair Competition
On December 15, 2022, the Beijing Intellectual Property Court announced that Mast-Jägermeister SE was awarded 10 million RMB, an injunction and apology from Shengluo Company (Qingdao) Wine Co., Ltd. (简称圣罗拉公司), Hefei Puyuan Commerce & Trade Co., Ltd. (合肥葡园商贸有限公司), and Chang XX for trademark infringement and unfair competition. The defendants manufactured liqueur and used the logos “野格哈古雷斯” (Yege Ha Gu Lei) and “YEGO HUNTER” as well as deer head graphics on labels affixed to the liqueur bottles.
Chinese Trademark Office Cracks Down on World Cup Trademark Squatting
On December 2, 2022, the Trademark Office the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) announced the “Cracking Down on Malicious Registration of Trademarks such as “World Cup” and “Raib” in accordance with the law” (关于依法打击恶意抢注“世界杯” “拉伊卜”等商标注册的通告). Per CNIPA, a small number of enterprises and natural persons maliciously registered trademarks of hot words and logos such as “World Cup,” names of famous football stars, and World Cup mascots “LAEEB” and “Raib,” which violated social and public interests. Accordingly, CNIPA rejected 26 …