Supermarket jeans row continues

The battle over supermarket sales of designer goods without the makers consent raged on today as a European court judge said the row should be resolved by national courts.

Tesco and jeans giant Levi Strauss are at loggerheads over trademark rights following the supermarket’s decision to import cheap but authentic 501s from outside the EU to sell at cut prices.

Consumers have welcomed the move - but Levi went to court claiming it was against EU law to import its products without permission.

Today an interim "opinion" from an advocate-general at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg left the wrangle unresolved.