Trends in the food and beverage industry can move quickly, and food science and development is a vibrant field of technology with over £5.8bn of investment in 2024, and around 10,000 new products launched annually.

A recent European Patent Office case highlights the consequences when drawing pages are inadvertently omitted from a text proposed for grant. While the Board of Appeal allowed the applicant's appeal to reinstate the missing pages, they denied reimbursement of the appeal fee, emphasizing that applicants bear responsibility for carefully reviewing proposed grant texts before approval.

The EPO's Enlarged Board of Appeal (EBA) referral G 2/21 will hopefully clarify the circumstances under which a purported technical effect can be relied on for inventive step...

In a previous bulletin we reported on the EPO's ever more onerous requirements for amending the description to conform with any amendments made to the claims of a patent application or patent.

Having previously looked at Sweaty Betty's use of a "Wear The Damn Shorts" slogan, the activewear brand is now in the news again for a further, similar dispute.

In a recent decision dated 18 July 2025, the Mannheim Local Division of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) has issued an injunction against Kodak in the United Kingdom.

IP is crucial for advancing sustainable consumer goods, with patents driving innovations, trademarks enhancing brand trust, and trade secrets protecting unique eco-friendly processes. Proper use of IP supports market growth and combats greenwashing.

The Unified Patent Court (UPC) has recently produced its first annual report, for 2024. The report provides an overview of the Court, its history and marked events, the composition and notable case law of the Court of First Instance and Court of Appeal, as well as statistics from the first 18 months of the Court.

On July 16, 2024, the UPC Munich Central Division revoked Amgen's European patent EP3666797, highlighting the UPC's swift decision-making and its potential as a significant European patent forum.

Today is the UN's International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

When requesting unitary effect for a granted European patent, the request for unitary effect must also contain a translation of the European patent.

Although clarity is not a ground of opposition, the clarity of any amendment made during opposition proceedings should be examined by the opposition division.

The EPO has recently issued a decision confirming that oral proceedings before examining divisions, the Legal Division, the Receiving Section and now, permanently, opposition divisions...

As of 1 September 2022, the EPO are providing a new, free of charge, service that involves carrying out a top-up search to find earlier national rights and assess their relevance...

Navigating the complex landscape of double patenting across major pharmaceutical and biotechnology jurisdictions requires strategic planning to build robust patent portfolios. Understanding how different countries handle overlapping claim scopes—from strict prohibitions in India and Canada to lenient approaches in Europe and the U.S.—is essential for securing comprehensive protection while avoiding costly pitfalls.

As online sales rise and technology advances, counterfeiting of goods is becoming increasingly problematic for many brands.

The EPO's Observatory on Patents and Technology has published its latest report, this time focusing on innovation in photovoltaic technology and its growth over the last three decades.

The new Unified Patent Court (UPC) is expected to open its doors in late 2022 or early 2023. The UPC will be the only court with competence for the new Unitary Patent.

Expanding into international markets requires more than product development and marketing strategy. Many businesses overlook critical trade mark protection, risking expensive rebranding, legal disputes, and delayed market entry when their brand names conflict with existing registrations or carry unintended meanings abroad. Understanding territorial trade mark rights and implementing proactive filing strategies can prevent these costly mistakes before they derail your global expansion plans.

The UKIPO has launched its long-awaited consultation on reforming UK design law. The proposals are wide-ranging and, if implemented, could significantly reshape the UK's design protection framework.