Innocent’s “David vs Goliath” trademark battle reaches resolution

The owner of a vitamins company has backed down over its trademark dispute with Innocent Drinks and will discontinue operating under the “innocent” brand name.

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The smoothie maker had been negotiating with Innocent Vitamins, an East-Grinstead based vitamins company founded by a single mum of two, to stop trading under the name “Innocent”, for the past six months.

Earlier this year, Innocent Drinks co-CEO, Richard Reed, said it was “not acceptable” to have a company use the “Innocent” brand name that his business had spent “12 years building up the ethos and goodwill” for. Customers had been in contact, confused about the vitamins range, he claimed.

Dawn Reid, Innocent Vitamins owner, said at the time that she did not accept that Innocent Vitamins breached the Innocent Drinks trademark or that customers would confuse their products. She added that the dispute was reminiscent of a match between “David and Goliath”.

The two companies have now reached an “amicable” commercial agreement that will see Innocent Vitamins rebranded under a new name. “Splitamins”, “Innovitive” and “V Vitamins” could succeed Innocent Vitamins as potential brand names and have been registered on the Intellectual Property Office’s trademark database.

Innocent Drinks’ Richard Reed says: “We have reached an amicable resolution that works for both parties. We hope they continue to do what they do best – selling vitamins.”

Dawn Reid says: “As far as we are concerned this matter is closed.”

Waitrose has stocked Innocent Vitamins since January this year, but a spokeswoman could not comment about whether the rebrand would affect the supplements’ placement in store.

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