Fast food giant McDonald's aims new salvo at Supermac’s

Fast food giant McDonald’s has hit back in the brand war with Supermac’s accusing the Irish firm of wanting to take unfair advantage of its own worldwide brand.

In a fresh twist in the ongoing European brand war between the makers of the ‘Big Mac’ and the ‘Snack Box’, McDonald’s has also accused the Galway firm of trying to benefit from the long established McDonald’s brand by making the trademark application for Supermac’s to the EU.

The charges are contained in the McDonald’s objection to Supermac’s application to register its trademark to sell its curry chips, snack boxes and other fast foods outside Ireland and across the EU.

It is now almost a year since the EU Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market — OHIM — rejected a previous application by Supermac’s following strident opposition from McDonald’s.

In a 24-page ruling, the OHIM agreed with McDonald’s that Supermac’s application for a trademark is likely to cause confusion among the public over the two different fast food brands and their fast food products.

In the David and Goliath struggle, Supermac’s subsequently appealed that decision but then withdrew the appeal and instead lodged a fresh application.

In the latest development, McDonald’s has lodged a raft of documents with the OHIM supporting its case opposing the Supermac’s trademark application.

The curry chip and snack box are synonymous with the Supermac’s brand built up over almost 40 years by Ballinasloe ex-teacher and Supermac’s boss Pat McDonagh.