WEB DESK: The Competition Appellate Tribunal (CAT) has fined a Lahore café Rs6 million for using a fake logo of the multinational coffee chain ‘Starbucks’.
According to Suno Urdu, the decision follows a legal battle instigated by the renowned coffee house chain Starbucks, headquartered in Seattle. The Lahore restaurant appealed against the fine, but the Special Tribunal dismissed their appeal.
CAT pointed out the unauthorised use of Starbucks branding in all aspects of the restaurant’s operations as the basis for its decision. Furthermore, the tribunal raised the initial fine, imposing a penalty of Rs6 million instead of Rs5 million.
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The dispute began when Starbucks discovered that the cafe in Lahorw was fraudulently selling “Starbucks Coffee” without permission and using the Starbucks trademark unlawfully.
Starbucks, renowned worldwide for its coffee and café experiences, took legal action against the Pakistani restaurant, accusing it of misleading consumers and harming Starbucks’ business interests. Starbucks firmly stated that it had not authorised any franchises or partnerships in Pakistan.
