Sweden bans M&Ms in chocolate trademark dispute

STOCKHOLM – A Swedish court has ordered candy maker Mars to stop selling M&Ms in the Scandinavian country, at least not with the customary lower-case letters it uses on the packaging and on the colorful chocolates.

The Svea Court of Appeal said Wednesday it ruled against Mars in a trademark dispute with Kraft Foods, which sells chocolate-covered peanuts under the Marabou brand with a single “m” on the packaging.

The court said Kraft has exclusive rights to the trademark in Sweden.

However, it added that using the upper-case M&Ms, as Mars does in its corporate communications, doesn’t constitute a trademark infringement in Sweden.

Mars said: “We have always believed no confusion exists” between the two products and that it would “assess the next steps for our beloved brand in Sweden.”

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.