A Delhi court has recently ruled in favor of Adidas in a trademark infringement case against a shop owner in Connaught Place, who was selling goods with counterfeit Adidas logos.

District Judge Vidya Prakash has issued a permanent injunction preventing the Connaught Place shop owner (defendant) from using Adidas trademarks and from passing off products as those of Adidas. Additionally, the court awarded Adidas ₹1 lakh in damages and ordered the defendant to pay the costs of the suit.

“In the totality of the facts and circumstances of the case, the Court is of the view that the plaintiff (Adidas) has succeeded in proving that the defendant was stocking, distributing and selling goods bearing falsified trademarks and logos of the plaintiff company and therefore, trademarks and copyright of plaintiff company are required to be protected," the Court said in its July 6 judgment.

In 2019, Adidas discovered that the defendant was operating a wholesale business in which they stocked, distributed, and sold goods bearing trademarks identical or deceptively similar to those of Adidas. The infringing products, which included the "adidas" name and the “3-Strips” mark, "performance logo," and “Trefoil," caused confusion and deception among consumers.

Adidas, through its authorized representative Narendra Singh, filed a trademark suit before the Delhi court. Adidas argued that the products sold by the defendant were counterfeit and of inferior quality, thereby deceiving the public, diluting Adidas' goodwill and reputation, and causing significant financial losses.

The company sought a permanent injunction against the defendant, the delivery of all infringing goods for destruction, an account of profits made from selling these products, and punitive damages.

The shop owner failed to appear before the court despite being served summons. Consequently, the court proceeded ex parte (without hearing the defendant) and ruled in favor of Adidas based on a balance of probabilities.

Advocates Priya Nagpal and Nandani Agarwal represented Adidas in this case.

Case Title: adidas AG v Mr. Yogesh Gupta