Supermac’s loses brand war with McDonald’s

Supermac’s has lost a major battle in its brand war with fastfood giant McDonald’s in a ruling that deals a hammer blow to the Irish firm’s international expansion plans.

In the surprise decision, the EU office that decides on trademark disputes has upheld McDonald’s opposition against Supermac’s using its own brand across Europe to sell its famous snack boxes and a host of fastfood items or to operate fastfood restaurants.

In a split decision, the ruling does allow Supermac’s the consolation that it can use its brand name and trade name in the EU — but not to operate fastfood restaurants or to sell meat, fish, poultry, chicken nuggets, chips, onion rings, or hamburgers under that brand name.