ARTICLE · 11 OCTOBER 2023

Trade Mark Infringements – China And Germany

ENS

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We like to keep our readers abreast of IP developments around the globe, so in this article, we'll discuss recent trade mark infringement cases in China and Germany.

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We like to keep our readers abreast of IP developments around the globe, so in this article, we'll discuss recent trade mark infringement cases in China and Germany.

CHINA... TESLA V ZHONGYIN

The parties

This case involved the rather well-known car brand that is the brainchild of a rather well-known billionaire: Tesla and Elon Musk. The case also involved a company that may well be a household name in China, Zhongyin Food Co. Ltd.

Photo credit: Wikimedia

The facts

Zhongyin sells beer and soda. For reasons that one can only speculate about, the company sells these drinks under the brand name TESLA, and it has apparently been doing this since 2019. Zhongyin also has a T-shaped logo that it applies to its drinks. Looking at this logo, one can't help thinking that it is similar to the logo of a well-known electric car brand. As for the promotional material, Zhongyin uses terms like 'pioneer brand of pre-mixed drinks in America' and

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