Canada Goose wins counterfeit case
23/10/2012
The court sentenced two of the defendants to prison and awarded Canada Goose damages of €80,000.
The defendants - five Swedish nationals - operated the business from Thailand and sold thousands of counterfeit Canada Goose jackets alongside other luxury goods, between 2009 and 2012 in Sweden. Purchased in Thailand and repackaged in Sweden, the fake goods were found to be of poor quality in fabric and detailing, and used raccoon dog fur instead of coyote around the jacket hoods.
In its judgment, the District Court of Stockholm indicated that counterfeiting is a significant problem - estimating that 10% of all goods in the European Union are counterfeit - and that the practice has a harmful impact on the economy.
"This is a clear victory in protecting intellectual property and consumers, and it sends a strong message that counterfeiters will not be tolerated," said Kevin Spreekmeester, vice-president of global marketing at Canada Goose. "Not only do these fake products impact our business and our brand reputation, but more importantly, they put consumers at risk for potential health issues."
The company said that analysis of imitation jackets has shown that they include feather mulch and other fillers which are often coated in bacteria, fungus, mildew and even faeces. Furthermore, because the jackets don't use real down or fur which provide the necessary warmth and protection from the elements in cold climates, the threat of frostbite or freezing to death becomes a reality.
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