When you buy something not just for the way the product is made but also because of its associated brand, then you should be very clear that you get your money’s worth. And a landmark judgment in the Canadian Counterfeit Suit has gone in favor of popular luxury brands Louis Vuitton and Burberry. Not only did they earn millions in “Canada’s single largest trademark counterfeit and copyright case,” but also made sure that you won’t be cheated anymore in the region. In the case Louis Vuitton Malletier S.A. v. Singga Enterprises (Canada) Inc. (2011 FC 776), the companies claimed that “Singga, Carnation, and Altec had been selling fake Vuitton and Burberry handbags, along with other “fashion accessories,” either online or in stores since January 2008.”
In response, the Federal Court of Canada has awarded CAD 2.5 million ($2.6 million) in damages, which include CAD 1.4 million ($1.45 million) for Vuitton and CAD 1.1 million ($1.14 million) for Burberry Limited and Burberry Canada Ltd., who were the co-plaintiffs in the case. Judge James Russell, in his findings, revealed how “the defendants orchestrated large-scale and sophisticated counterfeit manufacturing operations in China and imported vast amounts of counterfeit products into Canada with the intent of selling them nationwide in stores, at gift shows, and online.” This is not the first victory for Louis Vuitton. In 2008 the brand earned $980,000 in damages in yet another counterfeiting case in Canada. Earlier in 2006, they even took Google Inc. to the courts in a bid to stop the propagation of counterfeit products.
[Forbes]
