McDonald's loses Big Mac trademark battle to Supermac's in EU
- The top EU court ruled in favor of Irish fast food rival Supermac's in a trademark battle against McDonald's.
- McDonald's lost the exclusive rights to the Big Mac trademark in the 27-nation bloc.
- This long-running legal battle ended with a significant win for Supermac's over McDonald's in the EU.
McDonald's lost a legal fight over the Big Mac name in Europe to Supermac's. The court said McDonald's didn't prove it used the name for chicken sandwiches, poultry products, or restaurants. Supermac's can now expand in the EU. The issue started when Supermac's wanted to register its name in the EU. They said McDonald's didn't use the Big Mac name for certain things over five years, which is needed for a trademark. McDonald's disagreed and appealed the decision. The court ruled that McDonald's didn't genuinely use the Big Mac name for certain products and services. Supermac's saw this as a big win for small businesses. McDonald's can appeal to a higher court but only on legal grounds. McDonald's said they can still use the Big Mac name and will continue serving customers as they have been doing for years.