The Battle for the Buy Button: Brand Owners' Curtain Call Against Online IP Infringement

Aidan Parsons, Legal Counsel, Bonnington Plastics Limited, United Kingdom

There have been significant changes to brand protection considerations since Bass registered the UK’s first trade mark in 1876. Companies that once survived on a loyal local customer base now have access to a global audience; their brand acting as a passport to markets which preceding generations could only dream of. The internet has provided limitless possibilities for those businesses technologically astute enough to grasp the opportunities provided by the digital age. There is no doubt that an online presence is important for brand owners, and that online retail is booming. E-commerce is the fastest growing retail market in Europe and the Office for National Statistics has reported that online sales have increased by 12% in the 12 month period since January 2014. Customer desires to shop online have also meant that online marketplaces have thrived. Where bricks and mortar stores have struggled, online platforms such as Amazon have stepped in and revolutionised the retail environment. The nails for the coffin of High Street retail were probably purchased online.

Aidan Parsons is the legal counsel and company secretary of Bonnington Plastics.He was brought into the company in January 2014 to set up the legal department and has overseen the company’s campaign to tackle online intellectual property infringement. The

Bonnington Plastics, the company behind the Kingfisher brand, is one of the largest importers of value-for-money gardening, DIY and homeware products in Europe. The Nottingham-based company was founded by Paul and Marilyn Fisher in 1967 and the company