Scandinavian Tobacco Group Eersel BV v Trojan Trading Company Pty Ltd [2015] FCA 1086

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Scandinavian Tobacco Group Eersel BV v Trojan Trading Company Pty Ltd [2015] FCA 1086 Citation: Scandinavian Tobacco Group Eersel BV v Trojan Trading Company Pty Ltd [2015] FCA 1086

Parties: SCANDINAVIAN TOBACCO GROUP EERSEL BV and SCANDINAVIAN TOBACCO GROUP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD v TROJAN TRADING COMPANY PTY LTD

File number: VID 568 of 2014

Judge: ALLSOP CJ

Date of judgment: 9 October 2015

Catchwords: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY – trade marks – whether infringement of trade mark – where parallel importation of cigars – where importer repackaged cigars to comply with Australian Plain Packaging laws – whether act of unpacking cigars and repackaging in unofficial packaging bearing the trade mark constituted infringement pursuant to s 120 Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth) – s 123 engaged – no infringement INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY – trade marks – standing – whether standing under s 26 Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth) CONSUMER LAW – misleading or deceptive conduct – whether repackaging of cigars likely to mislead consumers – whether public would assume that cigars repackaged on authority of original manufacturer TORTS – passing off – whether repackaging of cigars constituted misrepresentation to public

Legislation: Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), Sch 2, ss 18 and 29 Tobacco Plain Packaging Act 2011 (Cth) Tobacco Plain Packaging Regulations 2011 (Cth) Trade Marks Act 1905 (UK) (repealed) Trade Marks Act 1938 (UK) (repealed) Trade Marks Act 1955 (Cth) (repealed), ss 58, 62 Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth), ss 8, 9, 17, 20, 26, 120, 122, 123 Trade Marks Regulations 1995 (Cth), r 3.2 Trade Marks and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2001 (Cth) Trade Marks Registration Act 1875 (UK) (repealed)