Amending trademark rights in Russia will open doors for smaller food manufacturers
The Federation Council in Russia is set to amend the Civil Code to grant the equal rights to manufacturers who wish to use product images on their packaging. This will not only create wider opportunities for new brands, but will cause a shift in market trends among Russian consumers, claims a research firm Canadean (canadean.com).
According to Izvestia, Russia’s Federation Council plans to amend the intellectual property protocol by protecting local producers against companies with registered trademarks using similar branding. Currently manufacturers with exclusive trademark hold the right to refuse market entry to competitor’s products, demand to withdraw already produced goods, and seek compensation for any damage done. As an example, the owner of Elizaveta brand registered crisp bread as a part of its trademark, and sued its competitors whose products’ featured similar images of crisp breads on the package.”