Did you know that you can no longer call your favourite burger from McDonald’s a ‘Big Mac’? You read that right! According to reports, a top EU court recently ruled against McDonald’s exclusive use of the term ‘Big Mac’, after which the fast-food joint has lost a legal battle against the Irish fast-food chain. An AFP report notes that the long-running battle began in 2017 when Ireland’s Supermac’s sought to cancel McDonald’s ‘Big Mac’ trademark in the EU. The US fast-food giant reportedly registered ‘Big Mac’ in 1996 for meat and poultry products and services offered at its restaurants.
The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) initially rejected Supermac’s revocation application and confirmed that McDonald’s could continue to use the term for its meat and chicken sandwiches, prompting the Irish company to challenge it. More recently, the Luxembourg-based General Court overturned the EU Intellectual Property Office’s decision, ruling that McDonald’s could not claim protection for the chicken version of its iconic burger. However, the original beef one remains trademarked.
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“The General Court considers that McDonald’s has not proven that the disputed mark is genuinely used in relation to ‘chicken sandwiches’, ‘food made from poultry products’ and related services,” the ruling said, reports AFP.
Talking about the recent decision, McDonald’s said in a statement that it will not affect their right to use the ‘Big Mac’ trademark. However, the fast-food joint can appeal the decision to the EU’s highest court.
On the other hand, according to AFP report, Supermac’s MD Pat McDonagh welcomed the decision, calling it a “common sense” decision.
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