Supermac’s vs the mighty M: McDonald’s attempting to stall expansion of Irish own fast food chain – TheLiberal.ie – Our News, Your Views

Supermac’s vs the mighty M: McDonald’s attempting to stall expansion of Irish own fast food chain




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The stage is set for a battle of wills. The fast food giant McDonald has filed a 41-page (41!) complaint with the EU’s Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market about Supermac’s pending bid for a trademark covering the whole of Europe.

The reason for the huff? McDonald’s think, among other things, that the word ‘Super’ might make the people at large perceive that Supermac’s products are of a very high quality (in comparison to McDonald’s own stuff) and that both companies might somehow be confused because both their brands include ‘Mc’ and ‘Mac’.

McDonald’s tirade of complains about the more humble Supermac’s also listed that an European-wide trademark for the latter would “give rise to confusion amongst the public” in the European Community, and might also lead to “unwarranted association” between the two companies’ products.

Supermac’s founder and managing director Pat McDonagh believes that McDonald’s sudden reservations about his own company reflect a current downward trend in the US giant’s fortunes. McDonald’s never had anything to say about the Irish chain during its 35-year long history, and that the complaint lodged with the European regulator is an attempt to delay, or altogether prevent, Supermac’s overseas expansion.

The fast food market worldwide is becoming increasingly competitive, and everyone is fighting their own corner.

The outcome of this David vs Goliath-like scenario will be revealed in the next few weeks.

Stay tuned.

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