Oreo maker Mondelez sues Aldi, alleging chain copies packaging to confuse shoppers

5 days ago 3

Snack nutrient shaper Mondelez International is suing the Aldi supermarket concatenation for packaging its store-brand cookies and crackers successful a mode that “blatantly copies” products similar Chips Ahoy and Wheat Thins

ByDEE-ANN DURBIN AP concern writer

Snack nutrient shaper Mondelez International is suing the Aldi supermarket chain, alleging the packaging for Aldi's store-brand cookies and crackers “blatantly copies” Mondelez products similar Chips Ahoy, Wheat Thins and Oreos.

In a national suit filed Tuesday successful Illinois, Chicago-based Mondelez said Aldi’s packaging was “likely to deceive and confuse customers” and threatened to irreparably harm Mondelez and its brands. The company is seeking monetary damages and a tribunal bid that would halt Aldi from selling products that infringe connected its trademarks.

A connection seeking remark was near Thursday with Aldi.

In the lawsuit, Mondelez displayed side-by-side photos of aggregate products. Aldi’s Thin Wheat crackers, for example, travel successful a golden container precise akin to Mondelez's Wheat Thins. Aldi’s cocoa sandwich cookies and Oreos some person bluish packaging. The supermarket's Golden Round crackers and Mondelez’s Ritz crackers are packaged successful reddish boxes.

Aldi, a German discount concatenation with U.S. office successful Batavia, Illinois, keeps prices debased by chiefly selling products nether its ain labels.

The concatenation has faced lawsuits implicit its packaging before. Last year, an Australian tribunal recovered that Aldi infringed connected the copyright of Baby Bellies snack puffs for young children. In that case, Aldi's packaging featured a cartoon owl and akin colors to the name-brand packaging.

Earlier this year, a U.K. appeals tribunal ruled successful favour of Thatchers, a cider company, which sued Aldi implicit plan similarities successful the packaging of its citrus cider.

Mondelez said successful its suit that the institution had contacted Aldi connected galore occasions astir “confusingly akin packaging.” Mondelez said Aldi discontinued oregon changed the packaging connected immoderate items but continued to merchantability others.

The suit besides alleges that Aldi infringed connected Mondalez's commercialized formal rights for the packaging of Nutter Butter and Nilla Wafers cookies, and its Premium cracker brand.