McDonald's has faced a legal setback in the trademark dispute over its "Big Mac" brand.
The EU court in Luxembourg ruled on Wednesday that the fast food giant can no longer use the trademark for poultry products and certain services.
According to Reuters, this decision may have wide-ranging effects, although the classic Big Mac burger itself will most likely remain unaffected.
The Trademark Dispute
The dispute began when the Irish chain Supermac's challenged McDonald's trademark registration from 1996, arguing that the trademark had not been seriously used for five years.
Initially, the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) only partially sided with Supermac's, allowing McDonald's to keep some rights to the trademark.
The EU General Court has now overturned the EUIPO's decision, further limiting McDonald's trademark rights to the "Big Mac."
This ruling stops McDonald's from using the name "Big Mac" for poultry products and services related to franchise restaurants and drive-ins.
The court came to this decision because McDonald's failed to show enough evidence of using the "Big Mac" name for poultry products. The judges noted that McDonald's did not provide enough proof, like sales volumes or other relevant data, to show the brand's use in this category.
There was no evidence supporting the use of the "Big Mac" name in other restaurant operations.
This ruling might make McDonald's rethink its brand policy and strategy.
While the classic Big Mac burger is unlikely to be directly affected, the decision could change how the company manages and markets its trademarks in the future.
