Superdry sues Manchester City over trademark infringement

British fashion brand Superdry has reportedly sued Manchester City over allegations of trademark infringement on the football club’s training kit.

The retailer has set about a High Court claim, according to the Telegraph, in which it alleged that Manchester City’s new training kit would likely confuse consumers.

Revealed mid-2023, the kits feature one of the club’s sponsors, beer manufacturer Asahi Super ‘Dry’, and have been worn by both the mens and womens’ team throughout 2023 and into 2024.

In its claim, Superdry alleged that “the differences between Super ‘Dry’ and Superdry are so insignificant that they may go unnoticed by the average consumer”.

In its claim, the company requested an “injunction to restrain” the club from using its name, while further pursuing damages that it noted it was “presently unable to quantify the exact financial value of”.

On behalf of Superdry, Fox Williams LLP’s Philip Roberts said that the sponsored kit was “identical to each of the selected goods” – namely the long-sleeved zip tops and short-sleeved shirts referenced in the filing”.

Williams added that the pieces were “identical with or similar to the mark for which the Superdry Registrations are registered in relation to goods identical with or similar to those for which the Superdry Registrations are registered, in circumstances liable to give rise to a likelihood of confusion on the part of the public”.