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Post by Patrick on Jun 11, 2009 9:39:14 GMT
 The European court of justice will rule later today on the sticky question of whether a chocolate bunny can be trademarked.
The issue has come before Europe's top court following a long battle between Switzerland's Lindt & Sprungli and fellow chocolate maker Hauswirth of Austria. Both companies make gold-wrapped chocolate rabbits, complete with ribbons around their neck. But only Lindt holds a trademark which it claims bars rivals from burrowing in on its territory.
With its red ribbon, small bell, prominent ears, squatting posture and delicate paws, Lindt's milk chocolate bunny is one of its flagship products, and tens of millions are sold each year. In 2000 the company applied for a trademark on the shape, which was granted the following year. Following that ruling, it launched legal actions against a number of other companies which make similar-looking confectionary.
Hauswirth, though, has refused to roll over. It disputes the validity of Lindt's trademark, claiming that chocolate bunnies have been produced and wrapped in gold foil for many decades. It also argues that making a rabbit-shaped piece of chocolate is such a technological challenge that it is inevitable that most will end up looking similar.Whoever makes'em - I've always thought of them as cheap and nasty. |
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Post by trubble on Jun 11, 2009 9:47:48 GMT
Oh patrick! You would hate me then because I love the Lindt bunnies and they are not cheap. I buy them for people every Easter and I buy them at Christmas too when they are the same shape but called reindeers. I don't like the look of the other bunny.  |
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Post by Patrick on Jun 11, 2009 9:52:15 GMT
Oh patrick! You would hate me then because I love the Lindt bunnies and they are not cheap. I buy them for people every Easter and I buy them at Christmas too when they are the same shape but called reindeers. I don't like the look of the other bunny. I could forgive you that.  Here's my reasoning - we used to get job lots of loads of these things when I was newsagenting - and despite making loads of wonga (sadly, not for me though) on the Easter Eggs - these things hung around for ages! - and they got bashed so easily - so I remember having a boxful of bashed up bunnies by the end! Quite a traumatic sight, really. Which led me to believe the things couldn't have been that nice in the first place. |
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Post by trubble on Jun 11, 2009 9:54:04 GMT
Cut the sweet-talk. This is serious.
Were the offending crushed items Lindt bunnies or just random cheapo gold ones?
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Post by housesparrow on Jun 11, 2009 10:09:21 GMT
This worrying, everyone. According to the article, if Lindt loses, we could be overrun with chocolate rabbits.
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Post by Patrick on Jun 11, 2009 10:13:13 GMT
Cut the sweet-talk. This is serious. Were the offending crushed items Lindt bunnies or just random cheapo gold ones? Definitely Lindt. They'd come with their very own sticky-out stand. Which is why they'd get bashed up, cos folk kept knocking it and they'd all fall over. |
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Post by Patrick on Jun 11, 2009 10:14:52 GMT
This worrying, everyone. According to the article, if Lindt loses, we could be overrun with chocolate rabbits. Well, you know rabbits!  Any excuse! |
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Post by Patrick on Jun 11, 2009 10:18:15 GMT
Breeding Bunnies!  Sinister little things aren't they? |
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Post by everso on Jun 11, 2009 10:21:46 GMT
Oh patrick! You would hate me then because I love the Lindt bunnies and they are not cheap. I buy them for people every Easter and I buy them at Christmas too when they are the same shape but called reindeers. I don't like the look of the other bunny. No indeed. He looks far too wide-eyed and innocent. How can you bear to eat a chocolate bunny, though? Which bit do you bite off first? |
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Post by trubble on Jun 11, 2009 10:26:16 GMT
I hardly ever eat them because I give them away, but as you ask... the ears and head. IT'S KINDER THAT WAY.
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Post by trubble on Jun 11, 2009 10:27:29 GMT
Breeding Bunnies! Sinister little things aren't they? No. A joy to behold.  |
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Post by trubble on Jun 11, 2009 10:28:21 GMT
This worrying, everyone. According to the article, if Lindt loses, we could be overrun with chocolate rabbits. Yes. The WRONG type of rabbits.  |
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sinistral
Lovely, Happy & Gorgeous!
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Posts: 291
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Post by sinistral on Jun 11, 2009 12:37:12 GMT
This worrying, everyone. According to the article, if Lindt loses, we could be overrun with chocolate rabbits. In that case....may I suggest the introduction of chocolate BUZZARDS.  ;D  |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2009 7:52:26 GMT
This worrying, everyone. According to the article, if Lindt loses, we could be overrun with chocolate rabbits. In that case....may I suggest the introduction of chocolate BUZZARDS. ;D Better still................................................. Chocolate mixymatotis or chocolate rabbit hemorrhage disease  |
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Post by sesley on Jun 19, 2009 20:55:43 GMT
The European court of justice will rule later today on the sticky question of whether a chocolate bunny can be trademarked.
The issue has come before Europe's top court following a long battle between Switzerland's Lindt & Sprungli and fellow chocolate maker Hauswirth of Austria. Both companies make gold-wrapped chocolate rabbits, complete with ribbons around their neck. But only Lindt holds a trademark which it claims bars rivals from burrowing in on its territory.
With its red ribbon, small bell, prominent ears, squatting posture and delicate paws, Lindt's milk chocolate bunny is one of its flagship products, and tens of millions are sold each year. In 2000 the company applied for a trademark on the shape, which was granted the following year. Following that ruling, it launched legal actions against a number of other companies which make similar-looking confectionary.
Hauswirth, though, has refused to roll over. It disputes the validity of Lindt's trademark, claiming that chocolate bunnies have been produced and wrapped in gold foil for many decades. It also argues that making a rabbit-shaped piece of chocolate is such a technological challenge that it is inevitable that most will end up looking similar.Whoever makes'em - I've always thought of them as cheap and nasty. is that bunny Austrian? it has a moustache like Adolf. |
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sinistral
Lovely, Happy & Gorgeous!
[N4:#####]
Posts: 291
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Post by sinistral on Jun 19, 2009 21:01:32 GMT
is that bunny Austrian? it has a moustache like Adolf. I don't know.......has Poland been invaded yet?  |
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A.P.P.S
S C 
Any excuse!
