M&M's chocolate war continues in Sweden
The battle between Mars and confectionary company Marabou over the production of M&M’s in Sweden is set to continue, after the American candy producer launched an appeal against the verdict from a trademark infringement case.
The history of the sugary dispute dates back to the 1950s, when Swedish chocolate brand Marabou launched their M brand of round praline sweets in Sweden in partnership with Mars, who had already sold M&M’s in other countries.
An agreement made between the two companies in 1989 said that Mars would not sell M&M’s in Sweden, Norway and Finland. It expired in 1998, and in 2009 Mars introduced M&M’s to the Swedish market.
In 2011, Marabou owners Mondelez International initiated a court case arguing that Mars were guilty of trademark infringement in their sale of M&M’s in Sweden.
And in June, the Svea Court of Appeals ruled in the Swedish brand’s favour, with its verdict forbidding Mars from “importing, marketing or selling sweets or chocolate products under the labels M and M&M’s in Sweden”.
According to the judgment, M&M’s would be banned from the Swedish market from June 30th. But the argument is not over yet: Mars has now launched an appeal against the decision to the Supreme Court of Sweden.
Swedish chocolate lovers will have to wait even longer until they know for certain whether they can purchase M&M’s in the country therefore.
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The history of the sugary dispute dates back to the 1950s, when Swedish chocolate brand Marabou launched their M brand of round praline sweets in Sweden in partnership with Mars, who had already sold M&M’s in other countries.
An agreement made between the two companies in 1989 said that Mars would not sell M&M’s in Sweden, Norway and Finland. It expired in 1998, and in 2009 Mars introduced M&M’s to the Swedish market.
In 2011, Marabou owners Mondelez International initiated a court case arguing that Mars were guilty of trademark infringement in their sale of M&M’s in Sweden.
And in June, the Svea Court of Appeals ruled in the Swedish brand’s favour, with its verdict forbidding Mars from “importing, marketing or selling sweets or chocolate products under the labels M and M&M’s in Sweden”.
According to the judgment, M&M’s would be banned from the Swedish market from June 30th. But the argument is not over yet: Mars has now launched an appeal against the decision to the Supreme Court of Sweden.
Swedish chocolate lovers will have to wait even longer until they know for certain whether they can purchase M&M’s in the country therefore.
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