Relaxo wins trademark fight against Bata

Relaxo Footwears has reached a settlement with its competitor Bata India over the use of trademark 'SPARX'. The fight for the trademark ended in favour of Relaxo Footwears. “The company has executed a deed of settlement with Bata India for assignment of trademark 'SPARX' in favour of Relaxo Footwears,” the company said in a BSE filing.

It further added that both the companies have agreed to file necessary consent terms before the Delhi High Court in due course, for withdrawal/settlement of all pending litigations filed by/against Bata India and the company. Relaxo Footwears has also said that the benefit on account of this assignment of trademark along with saving in cost of litigation is considered to be materially beneficial to the company in long-term. In 2009, Bata had filed a case against Relaxo Footwears in the Delhi High Court accusing the latter of infringement of one of its popular brand Sparx.

For the quarter ended March 2015, Bata India’s net sales dropped one percent year-on-year to Rs 491 crores, for the second year in a row. The company’s profit for that quarter was Rs 58.43 crores, an increase of 48.3 percent over a year ago, but owing to gains from a property development project.