Puma awarded 70,000 yuan over trademark case

Zhuhai Intermediate People's Court recently heard the complaint of Rudolf Dassler Sport AG, Puma's trademark holder against three Zhuhai department stores on trademark infringement. The court ruled against the stores, ordering them to indemnify the plaintiff 25,000 yuan, 25,000 yuan and 20,000 yuan in damages.

The plaintiff claimed, without its consent, the three defendants sold sneakers, apparels and bags with counterfeit leopard shape Puma labels. This constitutes infringement of its trademark. Puma sought immediate cease of infringement by the three defendants and indemnify 50,000 yuan in damages by each of them. The court held the three defendants shall be able to recognize international branded products. When the sellers sold counterfeit products on their premises, they failed to fulfill their duties in monitoring. Though the counterfeit products were sold by third party sellers, the three defendants are not exempt from assuming infringement liability. It is so ordered.