Galway Bay fm newsroom - Fast food giant McDonald’s has appealed the EU trademark office decision cancelling a trademark for “Big Mac”.
In January, rival Supermac's, owned by Galway businessman Pat McDonagh, won its long running case against the fast food giant, McDonald’s, to have the use of the iconic ‘Big Mac’ trademark cancelled.
In the landmark judgement by the European Union Intellectual Property Office in January, the office said the multinational had not proven genuine use of the contested trademark as a burger or as a restaurant name.
The company had claimed that McDonald’s engaged in “trademark bullying” by registering brand names only to store them away.
However according to the Irish Times, Mc Donald's has now lodged notice of appeal with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) based in Alicante, Spain.
The firm has yet to lodge grounds of appeal.
It is expected to take at least one year for the EUIPO to decide on the McDonald’s appeal.
This will further delay Supermac’s application to have its own trademark registered Europe-wide to enable the business to expand.
That application is being strenuously opposed by McDonald’s.
The EUIPO has told each party in correspondence that the Supermac’s trademark application will not be made until the “Big Mac” trademark cancellation dispute is finalised.
