UK – October 7, 2013 – After a five-year court battle with rival Nestle, Cadbury has lost the bid to trademark the shade of purple that has long been associated with its products.
The chocolate brand’s bitter loss means that other brands, including Cadbury’s rivals, could use the color, Pantone 2865c, on their products.
According to a report on the Daily Mail, the UK Court of Appeal announced the decision on October 4, after judges had ruled that the company’s application for trademark lacked clarity. The loss came as a shock after Cadbury had won in all earlier stages of the case.
In 2011, Cadbury had won the exclusive rights to the purple shade, though the trademark was limited to chocolate bars and drinks.
Cadbury had been using the color since 1914 when they first put it on their chocolate bars as a tribute to Queen Victoria, whose favorite color was purple.
In the Daily Mail report, Cadbury said they are considering their next move, which may include an appeal.
"Our color purple has been linked with Cadbury for a century and the British public has grown up understanding its link with our chocolate," Cadbury said in the report.
