In a landmark decision, the Delhi High Court has ruled in favor of Domino’s Pizza in a trademark infringement case against eight food outlets. The court has restrained these outlets from using marks such as ‘Domino’, ‘Domino’s’, ‘Dominon’, and similar variations, citing unauthorized adoption of trade names identical or deceptively similar to Domino’s Pizza’s trademarks.
Justice Sanjeev Narula issued an order directing popular food delivery platforms, Zomato and Swiggy, to remove the concerned outlets from their platforms, emphasizing the importance of protecting intellectual property rights.
Domino’s Pizza alleged that the unauthorized use of its marks by the food outlets was causing confusion among consumers and unfairly leveraging the popularity of the Domino’s brand. The court agreed, noting that the impugned marks were phonetically, visually, and structurally similar to Domino’s registered trademarks.
Furthermore, the court highlighted the significant consumer impact of misrepresentation in the food industry, especially given the widespread marketing and consumption of food products. It stressed the need for stringent measures to preserve the integrity of Domino’s brand identity and prevent consumer confusion.
The legal counsel representing Domino’s Pizza argued convincingly, leading to a favorable ruling for the plaintiffs. The court’s decision sets a precedent for robust trademark protection in India and underscores the importance of upholding intellectual property rights in the digital age.
Case Title: DOMINOS IP HOLDER LLC & ANR v. MS DOMINO PIZZA & ORS.
