By Blessing Nweke
A Chinese court has ordered popular tea chain Molly Tea to pay 10.3 million yuan ($1.5 million) in damages after ruling that its logo infringed the trademark of luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, sparking widespread debate over intellectual property rights in China.
The ruling, issued by a court in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, found that the Shenzhen-based beverage company copied Louis Vuitton’s signature four-petal flower monogram. The court directed Molly Tea to immediately stop using the disputed logo, publish a public apology, and compensate the French luxury brand for trademark infringement.
Chinese state media reported that Molly Tea and its affiliated companies had submitted several trademark applications, most of which were rejected by the China National Intellectual Property Administration. Only a trademark featuring the Chinese characters for “Molly Tea” was successfully registered.
The case has generated intense discussion across Chinese social media platforms. A related hashtag attracted more than 400 million views and tens of thousands of comments, reflecting divided public opinion over the court’s decision.
Many users defended Molly Tea, arguing that similar floral and geometric patterns have existed in Chinese culture for centuries and should not be exclusively associated with a single international brand. One Weibo user pledged to buy Molly Tea daily in support of the company, while another argued that many Western luxury brands have drawn inspiration from traditional Chinese designs.
Others backed the court’s ruling, emphasizing that trademark protection is based on legal registration rather than the historical origin of design elements. Supporters said Louis Vuitton had every right to defend its registered trademark and warned that businesses should avoid imitating protected logos, regardless of the industry in which they operate.
Neither Molly Tea nor Louis Vuitton has publicly commented on the ruling.
Original article
Comments