Marks and Spencer forced to pull item from website after it ‘rips off’ pub group’s logo
M&S has removed a clothing item from its website after a pub company accused the retailer of “ripping it off”.
Pub group The Craft Beer Co said in a tweet on Thursday that M&S had used its logo in a men’s T-shirt it was selling in its online store.
The Craft Beer Co said: “Hey @marksandspencer what’s the idea with these T shirts!? Can we expect a royalties cheque in the post!? Surely one Iconic British Institution shouldn’t be ripping off another…!!?”
A later tweet by the company read: “It really is hard to believe in 2023 such things can be signed off by someone at huge PLC.”
M&S, which has over 1000 sites across the UK, also responded via Twitter stating that it “didn’t mean to cause any ‘bitter-ness’” and removed the clothing item from its site.
The full tweet read: “Hey @thecraftbeerco, we didn’t mean to cause any ‘bitter-ness’ so have removed the tee from sale so we can investigate. Can we chat about it over a (craft) beer @TheBearPub_CBC later? On us of course!”
Aldi, which has previously been embroiled in a legal spat with M&S regarding an infringement over its Colin the Caterpillar cake, also chimed it..
“OH HOW THE TABLES HAVE TURNED,” the German discounter tweeted.
“M&S have been very protective of their own IP in the past, most recently in run-ins with Aldi, which may lead to accusations of inconsistency,” Lakmal Walawage, partner in Intellectual Property at JMW Solicitors said.
He continued: “Given the nature of the alleged infringement, it is likely this was an oversight rather than a deliberate attempt to confuse or ride on the coat tails of the Craft Beer Co. brand. M&S have rightly pulled the product and marketing from their avenues of sale.”
City A.M has contacted M&S for a comment.