Kroger Suing Lidl for Trademark Infringement
Kroger is suing supermarket rival Lidl for trademark infringement. The lawsuit comes just two weeks after the German-based chain Lidl opened its first store in the U.S., and alleges that Lidl’s house brand, “Preferred Selection,” is too similar to Kroger’s house brand, “Private Selection.” "As a direct result of Lidl’s wrongful conduct, Kroger has suffered and will continue to suffer irreparable injury," the lawsuit states.
Total Retail’s Take: In the lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court of Virginia, Kroger claims that the similarity between the house brand names will lead consumers to believe the two companies are associated with each other. Lidl opened its first stores in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina, and plans to expand to 20 locations by the end of the summer. The German grocer wants to add another 80 locations by this time next year. Lidl has prices that rival Kroger, the largest grocery chain in the U.S., which is fighting to avoid losing market share to the German grocer.
