EasyGroup loses trade mark dispute in bid to protect 'Easy' brand
Partner Jim Dennis comments on EasyGroup, the parent company of easyJet, losing its High Court trade mark dispute against easyfundraising Ltd, a charity shopping website, in ICLG, World Intellectual Property Review, and World Trademark Review.
"This is the latest in a series of cases EasyGroup has brought against other businesses and people trading under the word 'Easy'.
"As well as easyJet, EasyGroup owns a broad portfolio of 'Easy-' trade marks and often deploys them against small businesses. It has had many successes in its efforts to monopolise the 'Easy' name, both battling it out in court and pressuring opponents into dropping their names. Earlier this year pop group Easy Life was forced to change its name, which it did, to Hard Life.
"In this instance, however, the Court found that easyfundraising’s services were not sufficiently similar to those for which EasyGroup’s trade marks were registered.
"EasyGroup will no doubt consider this failed claim to be nothing but a minor inconvenience in its pursuit of brand protection. It is, however, an extremely costly strategy that only a handful of companies can afford to adopt."
An extract of Jim's comments was published in ICLG and World Intellectual Property Review, 12 September 2024, and World Trademark Review, 13 September 2024.
