Gimme a Break
As Cadbury and Nestle continue the battle over dominating the chocolate aisle, they have recently entered an additional dispute over Nestle’s Kit Kat shape. Cadbury is currently opposing Nestle’s attempt to legally protect the shape of its Kit Kat. Nestle’s registration for the shape was accepted by the UK trademark registry where the mark was held to be “distinctive,” and special counsel Bill Ladas notes that the ultimate test in Europe is if consumers recognize the shape and color of the item as indicating that a particular mark owner is the source of the goods. Judge Arnold in London has referred the case to the EU Court of Justice for guidance on EU law.