England and Wales Case Law

Babek International Limited v Iceland Foods Limited & Anor

The trade mark, as registered, satisfied the requirements of clarity and precision under s.1(1) of the Trade Marks Act 1994. The visual representation and written description, considered together, were not inconsistent or ambiguous. The absence of pantone numbers or precise hues did not result in a multitude of forms or lack of clarity. The reasonable reader would understand the mark as a figurative mark with the features shown. The Sieckmann criteria were met and the trade mark was validly registered.

Source excerpt

• Trade marks
• Trade mark registration
• Invalidity
• Clarity and precision
• Figurative marks
• Colour marks

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Societe des Produits Nestle SA v Cadbury UK Ltd

Societe des Produits Nestle SA v Cadbury UK Ltd [2022] EWHC 1671 (Ch) (05 July 2022)

High Court appeal about whether purple colour marks for chocolate were capable of being a sign. The court allowed the appeal for the pure colour mark and rejected the packaging-formulation mark.

• Colour marks
• Graphical representation
• Sign requirement
• Trade marks act 1994 s.1(1) and s.3(1)(a)
• Distinctiveness
• Trade-marks

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Société des Produits Nestlé S.A. v Cadbury UK Limited

The High Court upheld Cadbury’s appeal for one purple colour mark and dismissed it for another, focusing on whether the descriptions were precise enough to be a valid trade mark sign.

• Trade marks
• Colour marks
• Graphical representation
• Distinctiveness
• Registration requirements
• Trade-marks

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Fromageries Bel SA v J Sainsbury Plc

Trade mark appeal over a cheese shape mark failed because the description ‘the colour red’ was too imprecise and an amendment to Pantone 193C was refused.

• Trade mark validity
• Graphic representation requirements
• Colour marks
• Sieckmann criteria
• Libertel requirements
• Distinctiveness

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Fromageries Bel SA v J Sainsbury Plc

Fromageries Bel SA v J Sainsbury Plc [2019] EWHC 3454 (Ch) (12 December 2019)

High Court appeal over a trade mark for a red cheese shape. The court held the description lacked clarity and precision, dismissed the appeal, and refused a Pantone limitation.

• Trade mark validity
• Colour marks
• Graphic representation
• Distinctiveness
• Precision of description
• Trade-mark-validity

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Glaxo Wellcome UK Ltd (t/a Allen & Hanburys) & Anor v Sandoz Ltd

Glaxo Wellcome UK Ltd (t/a Allen & Hanburys) & Anor v Sandoz Ltd [2017] EWCA Civ 335 (10 May 2017)

The Court of Appeal upheld invalidity of Glaxo’s colour trade mark for inhalers, holding the registration lacked sufficient clarity, precision and uniformity under Article 4 EUTMR.

• Trade marks
• Eu trade mark regulation
• Graphical representation of trade marks
• Colour marks
• Absolute grounds for refusal
• Invalidity of trade marks

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Glaxo Wellcome UK Ltd (t/a Allen & Hanburys) & Anor v Sandoz Ltd

The Court of Appeal held Glaxo’s purple inhaler EU trade mark invalid because the mark was not clear, precise, and uniform enough under Article 4 EUTMR.

• Eu trade mark regulation
• Graphical representation
• Colour marks
• Precision and clarity in registration
• Trade-mark-law
• Colour-marks

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Glaxo Wellcome UK Ltd (t/a Allen & Hanburys) & Anor v Sandoz Ltd

The High Court held that Glaxo’s colour trade mark for an inhaler was too imprecise and uniformity-lacking, so it was invalid and the infringement claim failed.

• Eu trade mark validity
• Graphic representation
• Colour marks
• Interpretation of trade mark registration
• Trade-mark-validity
• Colour-marks

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Glaxo Wellcome UK Ltd (t/a Allen & Hanburys) & Anor v Sandoz Ltd

Glaxo Wellcome UK Ltd (t/a Allen & Hanburys) & Anor v Sandoz Ltd [2016] EWHC 1537 (Ch) (28 June 2016)

The High Court held that Glaxo’s colour trade mark was invalid because its description and image did not define a single, sufficiently clear and precise sign.

• Trade marks
• Colour marks
• Graphical representation
• Eu trade mark regulation
• Summary judgment
• Trade-marks

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Société Des Produits Nestlé SA v Cadbury UK Ltd

Société Des Produits Nestlé SA v Cadbury UK Ltd [2013] EWCA Civ 1174 (04 October 2013)

The Court of Appeal held Cadbury’s purple colour mark was not registrable because its wording created uncertainty and multiple possible visual forms.

• Trade mark registration
• Graphical representation
• Definition of a sign
• Colour marks
• Eu directive interpretation
• Trade-mark-registration

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