Tesco vs Lidl: Injunction issued over logo use in latest supermarket war

The London High Court judge ruled an injunction was necessary to prevent the ‘loss’ Lidl is incurring due to the similarities in the logos

Lidl has been granted an injunction against Tesco due to the latter’s Clubcard Prices discount logo (AFP/Getty/Reuters)

Two UK supermarket giants are at loggerheads in London’s High Court in a war over logos.

Lidl has been granted an injunction to stop Tesco copying its logo, the court has ruled.

Lidl took action after claiming the similarities between its brand logo and a rebrand of Tesco’s Clubcard logo was having a negative impact on the firm.

The judge ruled an injunction would have to be granted to stop the “loss” Lidl is incurring.

Tesco now has nine weeks from when proceedings end to remove all clubcard logos from its stores and branding, should it be unsuccessful in appealing.

Tesco lost a trademark lawsuit brought by Lidl back in April after the former launched a new logo to promote its Clubcard Prices discounts that Lidl claimed was similar in design to its store branding.

The new clube logo features a yellow circle set against a blue background with black writing. Lidl’s logo is also a yellow circle set against a blue background, but with a red outer rim of the circle and blue writing on all but the ‘i’, which is red.

The two logos, side by side for comparison (AFP/Getty/Reuters)

Lidl, the smaller of the two brands, sought the injunction to stop Tesco from using the news logo which it claimed infringed on its trademark.

It argued the action was needed to stop Tesco from deceiving customers.

Tesco’s lawyers argued that an injunction is unneccessary and the dispute could be resolved by paying damages.

Ryan Hetherington, head of legal at Tesco, described how difficult it’s going to be for Tesco to make this change, as it uses more than eight million Clubcard Prices logos across its stores. And there are more online, in print advertising and on TV.

The judge has ruled the similarities in the logos may lead Lidl to incur ‘losses’ (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Wire)

Judge Joanna Smith said: “The only certain way to put an end to the loss that Lidl is incurring by reason of the continuing use of the (Clubcard Price) signs is to grant a final injunction.”

However, the injunction won’t come into force until both supermarkets have made appeals if they choose to - and both have said they will challenge the original ruling.

As part of its offering, customers who have a Tesco Clubcard can collect points when they shop and them to pay for hotels, restaurants and other products in store.

The Independent has contacted Lidl and Tesco for a comment.