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Chinese court gives Lacoste a bite out of rival Crocodile

French sportswear maker Lacoste has won a round against Singaporean rival Crocodile International in a court battle over which can use a crocodile logo in China, a news report said yesterday.

An appeals court in Shanghai on Tuesday threw out a ruling that ordered Lacoste to pay Crocodile US$1 and publicly apologize for trying to register its competitor's logo as its own, the Xinhua news agency said.

The Shanghai Higher People's Court said the dispute should be handled by a process under trademark law rather than a lawsuit, Xinhua said.

The crocodile clash highlights the sensitivity of trademark protection amid widespread copying in China and competition for a share of one of the world's most promising markets.

The dispute erupted after Lacoste submitted a photocopy of Crocodile's logo to Chinese authorities in what the French company called a defensive move. Lacoste has tried to register multiple variations of its own logo in order to prevent counterfeiters from selling near copies.

Crocodile accused the company of "repeated and malicious" attempts to misuse its trademark.

The Xinhua report didn't say whether the Shanghai court ruling ordered either side to take any further steps.

Both Lacoste and Crocodile have been selling clothes in China with a crocodile logo for more than a decade and have fought elsewhere over their logos since the 1970s.
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