Lego Wins Copyright Suit Against Chinese Companies
Lego, a series of plastic building blocks and other related components, is constructed by The Lego Group, a company that takes corporate residence in Denmark. With Legos, people can make just about anything imaginable. Legos are available in both pre-sorted sets, designed to build fictional and factual individuals, places, buildings, and more, as well as loosely, for children and adults hoping to build things from their imagination.
The company began creating its flagstaff product in 1949. Recently, Chinese companies have challenged the copyright of The Lego Group, vying to manufacture and distribute sets of interlocking plastic pieces without the authorization of The Lego Group.
In the past week, The Lego Group received a favorable verdict in the China Shantou Intermediate People’s Court against a line of products under the name of Bela. The Lego Group – shortened to “Lego” from this point onwards – claimed that Bela had infringed upon Lego’s unique copyright to produce such interlocking plastic bricks of varying colors, shapes, and sizes.
Lego also claimed that the production of such similar goods, under Chinese law, constituted unfair competition between the companies involved. Two separate companies in China were producing Bela plastic bricks, are both equally charged with such a violation of both Chinese and Danish law.
The Chinese entities will be forced to alter logos and packaging, as they essentially copied the likeness of Lego, its packaging, and other related characteristics integral to the success of the Lego family of products.
A high-level Chinese court, Beijing Higher Court, had ruled earlier this year that Lego was well-known throughout the largest country on planet earth – China – and any companies who used similar packaging, designs, and other product characteristics must have copied Lego and its products.
Vice President of Legal Affairs of Lego, Peter Thorslund Kjaer, shared that “We will continue our efforts to ensure that parents and children are able to make informed choices when … buying toy products … [and] not misled … by irresponsible companies,” in a press conference immediately following the ruling.
China’s economy has been a major source of production for Lego in recent years, as the company’s sales had been declining over the past decade.
Jorgen Vig Knudstrop, the Chairman of Lego’s Board of Directors, reported that the company was “pressing the reset button for the entire group,” in hopes of boosting flailing sales. Because Chinese consumers were such a boost to Lego’s corporate welfare, the ruling is slated to significantly aid the company in its endeavors to boost business.
Lego’s first manufacturing plant was created in the country of China about one calendar year ago, as Mr. Knudstrop hopes to make Lego the most popular toy brand throughout the entirety of the world’s largest company.
As sales have been slugging recently in Europe and the United States, Lego has had virtually no option to remain steady in offering products to markets it’s been involved with since its inception.
China, the world’s second-largest economy, is likely to bring financial prosperity to Lego in coming years
