UK/USA: Tesco, Weight Watchers settle trademark row

UK supermarket giant Tesco has settled its trademark row with US-based slimming group Weight Watchers, shortly before the case was due to be heard in court. Earlier this year Tesco used a “points” claim on the packaging of two types of its pizza products, to indicate to those dieters following the Weight Watchers plan how many Weight Watchers points the product contained. On the back of the packaging there was a disclaimer saying the points had been calculated using the Weight Watchers calculator but that the product was not endorsed by the slimming company.

June 17, 2003

UK supermarket giant Tesco has settled its trademark row with US-based slimming group Weight Watchers, shortly before the case was due to be heard in court.

Earlier this year Tesco used a “points” claim on the packaging of two types of its pizza products, to indicate to those dieters following the Weight Watchers plan how many Weight Watchers points the product contained. On the back of the packaging there was a disclaimer saying the points had been calculated using the Weight Watchers calculator but that the product was not endorsed by the slimming company.

Weight Watchers claimed Tesco’s packaging was an infringement on its trademark, while Tesco argued that the points mark was simply descriptive. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed, reported the Financial Times.