UK retailer Marks and Spencer is suing discounter Aldi over a’copycat’ gin liqueur, that has edible gold flakes and a light-up bottle similar to M&S’s own festive hit.
According to the Financial Times, the upmarket retailer filed papers at the High Court in early December – the second time it has sued its rival this year – to protect its copyrigh.
It alleges that Aldi’s Infusionist drink in clementine and blackberry flavours are copies of M&S’s own gin snowglobe liqueurs, which packaged in a bell-shaped light up bottle, which was registered as designs early in the year.
M&S is seeking an injuntion to stop Aldi infringing its design, asking it to surrender or destroy the stock and pay damages. Aldi has apparently already rejected appeals to stop selling the products – which retail for around £6 less than the M&S drink.
M&S said that it would “always seek to protect our reputation for freshness, quality, innovation and value, and protect our customers from obvious copies.”
The retailer first launched its snowglobe drinks last Christmas, which proved a festive smash, and it rolled out two new flavours this year – Clementine and Spiced Sugar Plum, as well as a spiced rum flavoured with Madagascan Vanilla.
Aldi is not the only retailer selling a snowglobe gin – with Morrisons also bringing out their own versions in November under its own label The Best range, in Orange & Gingerbread Gin Liqueur. CostCo has also brought out a single-serve light-up Christmas bauble filled with a gin liqueur.
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