Flower delivery specialist Interflora has won a long-running legal battle with Marks & Spencer over a trademark infringement.
M&S bought advertising space tied to Google searches for ‘Interflora’ and the High Court deemed M&S’ use of the Interflora logo to advertise its flower and gift range as trademark infringement.
Mr Justice Arnold said at the High Court in London that the adverts did not enable “reasonably well-informed and reasonably attentive” internet users to work out whether the company was part of the Interflora network, The Guardian reported.
Interflora’s British unit’s president Rhys Hughes said: “Keyword advertising is a very powerful tool and so it is vital for consumer protection that internet search results take consumers directly to the brands they are looking for.”
M&S said it was “disappointed” by the judgement, against which it can appeal, and is considering its options. The level of damages it will have to pay will be decided at a further hearing.
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