IP – Psychology And Public Perceptions

There was a time when intellectual property ("IP") was considered a grey and obscure area of the law, the domain of nerdy inventors, authors and the like. But our readers will know that IP issues now attract considerable public attention and media scrutiny (the British tabloids absolutely love them!). South Africans are certainly taking a real interest in IP matters (particularly disputes), with the recent 2023 case of Shoprite Checkers (Pty) Ltd v Pick 'N Pay Retailers (Pty) Ltd, (the Forage and Feast range of premium foodstuffs case) and more recently, a case involving political parties and their logos.

In this article, we will discuss two separate reports that deal with IP in the UK and conclude with a few words on a recent EUIPO initiative.