UK supermarket chain Iceland drops trademark dispute with Iceland
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UK supermarket chain Iceland has ended its long-running trademark dispute with the country of Iceland after multiple legal defeats. Instead of pursuing further legal action, Iceland's executive chair, Richard Walker, announced the company will offer a "rapprochement discount" to Icelandic shoppers in the form of shopping vouchers. The dispute began in 2016 when Iceland challenged the supermarket's exclusive ownership of the "Iceland" trademark, arguing it hindered the country's businesses. The EU court ultimately ruled that geographical names should remain available for public use, leading the supermarket to concede. While Iceland will not change its name, the company expressed concern that others could now use the name "Iceland" for similar businesses.
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AI-ExtractedThe company grew from a single shop and now has more than 900 stores across the UK.
Richard Walker said he would reapply legal fees to a 'rapprochement discount' for Icelandic people.
The EU general court upheld a ruling cancelling the grocer’s EU trademark registration for the word Iceland.
The government of Iceland first launched legal action against the British grocery chain in 2016.
UK supermarket chain Iceland has abandoned its trademark battle with Iceland.
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