A well-known bathroom retailer has responded to trademark infringement allegations from EasyGroup, the parent company of EasyJet. Filed in August, the complaint asserts that Easy Bathrooms is unlawfully benefiting from EasyGroup's intellectual property by using the term "easy" in its business name.
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In its legal defense, Easy Bathrooms emphasises that it operates in a completely different market, focusing solely on bathroom fixtures, unlike EasyGroup, which spans various sectors. Additionally, EasyGroup contends that Easy Bathrooms infringes on its intellectual property through logo usage. All EasyGroup brands utilise a distinctive orange colour scheme and Cooper Black font for brand consistency. In contrast, Easy Bathrooms features a green swirl graphic in its logo, with the company name in black and a different font.
Easy Bathrooms argues that it has never employed EasyGroup's colour scheme and points to significant font differences. In EasyGroup's initial claim, it suggested that consumers might confuse Easy Bathrooms with its own brands due to the similarity of names, potentially benefiting from EasyGroup's reputation.
The legal action seeks "substantial" damages from Easy Bathrooms, along with formal declarations of trademark infringement and a ban on the use of EasyGroup's logo.
Founded in 1998, EasyGroup has expanded its brand name beyond EasyJet, which started in 1995, to include over 200 businesses, such as easyBus and easyPetfood. Easy Bathrooms, owned by Cubico and launched in 2012, has grown into a significant retailer with over 100 stores.
Source: www.kbbreview.com