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ARTICLE · 04 AUGUST 2022

Guide To Trade Secrets In UK 2022: Trends And Developments

Gowling WLG
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Across industries, there is an increasing appreciation of the critical importance of trade secrets in protecting innovation.

United KingdomIntellectual Property
Matt Hervey
Matt Hervey
Arnie Francis
Arnie Francis
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Trends and Developments

Protecting Innovation

Across industries, there is an increasing appreciation of the critical importance of trade secrets in protecting innovation.

In April 2021, the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) published its report, The economic and innovation impacts of trade secrets, stating the "[g]lobal legal and economic trends suggest that growth in the use of trade secrets is outpacing that of patents". It also reported the following:

  • trade secrets are a preferred strategy for innovative UK firms - some 70% of UK firms who develop product and process innovations use trade secrets to protect these innovations;
  • the use of trade secret protection is higher among those entities that also use patents; and

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