Woolworths challenges Aldi to sign code of conduct over brand copyright concerns
Australian supermarket brand Woolworths has challenged rival discount brand Aldi to sign the grocery code of conduct.
Aldi: 'Like brands'
It argues that Aldi’s labelling may infringe the intellectual property of high profile national brands.
Last month Woolworths, Coles and the Australian Food & Grocery Council signed the code of conduct, which obliges them to respect intellectual property rights, including brand names, packaging designs and advertising.
"One of our major competitors has 96 per cent of their range that is own-brand," said Woolworths managing director of supermarkets Tjeerd Jegen.
"If you don't look carefully, you'd think it came from suppliers' brands."
Aldi’s recent UK advertising highlighted that its prducts were ‘‘like brands, only cheaper’
Aldi has not made any public comment at the time of publication.