Unilever to sue Ahold over imitation products

23/03/05 Unilever is suing Holland’s biggest retailer Albert Heijn for allegedly copying the packaging of some 10 of its products. Albert Heijn, which is one of Unilever’s best customers launched a new range of spreads and margarines two weeks ago, which Unilever say is a copy of their Becel, Blue Band, Flora and Croma products. “We want Albert Heijn not to imitate the look and design of our products,” Unilever spokesperson Tom Gordijn told FoodIngredientsFirst. “They deliberately renewed their packaging to look exactly like our products. This time they have gone too far and we are taking action”, he added. Other product packaging that Gordijn says has been copied include Unilever's Lipton ice tea and a peanut butter product.

A court date of April the 12th has been set for the biggest public spat between the two companies since Albert Heijn pulled 30 of Unilever’s products from its shelves in October 2002 after Unilever refused to meet price cut demands. Gordijn said that Unilever had requested for a particularly quick case to be carried out “in which a fast decision and ruling is made.”

Albert Heijn are dismissing the suit as “unfounded”, claiming that they have the right to offer lower price alternatives to A-brands.
The news comes as Albert Heijn’s holding company, Ahold revealed that it has received money from the sale of South American supermarket, Disco. Ahold received 85 percent of the agreed 260 million dollars for the sale of Disco, which was concluded last year without the authorization of Argentine authorities.