RB (Hygiene Home) Australia Pty Ltd v Henkel Australia Pty Ltd [2022] FCA 1042

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

RB (Hygiene Home) Australia Pty Ltd v Henkel Australia Pty Ltd [2022] FCA 1042 File number(s): NSD 823 of 2021

Judgment of: ROFE J

Date of judgment: 6 September 2022

Catchwords: TRADE MARKS – whether the respondent infringed the second applicant's registered trade marks under s 120 of the Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth) – whether the respondent used the depiction of its SOMAT dishwashing capsule as a trade mark – whether the respondent's device was deceptively similar to the second applicant's trade marks – whether the respondent's device was used in good faith to indicate the kind, quality, or some other characteristic of the goods TRADE MARKS – cross-claim for removal for non-use under s 92 of the Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth) – whether the second applicant used its registered trade marks during the relevant period – whether the second applicant used devices substantially identical to its registered marks – whether use by the first applicant constituted authorised use CONSUMER LAW – whether the respondent's use of its device constituted passing off or misleading and deceptive conduct under ss 18 and 29 of the Australian Consumer Law

Legislation: Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth) Trade Marks Act 1955 (Cth) Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) Trade Marks Act 1938 (UK)

Cases cited: Allergan Australia Pty Ltd v Self Care IP Holdings Pty Ltd (2021) 286 FCR 259 Anheuser-Busch Inc v Budejovicky Budvar (2002) 56 IPR 182 Austin, Nichols & Co Inc v Lodestar Anstalt (2012) 202 FCR 490 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v TPG Internet Pty Ltd (2020) 278 FCR 450 Australian Meat Group Pty Ltd v JBS Australia Pty Ltd (2018) 137 IPR 385 Australian Woollen Mills Ltd v FS Walton & Co Ltd (1937) 58 CLR 641 Baume & Co Ltd v Moore (AH) Ltd [1958] RPC 226 Bohemia Crystal Pty Ltd v Host Corporation Pty Ltd (2018) 129 IPR 482 BP plc v Woolworths Limited (2004) 212 ALR 79 CA Henschke & Co v Rosemount Estates Pty Ltd (2000) 52 IPR 42 Cadbury Schweppes Pty Ltd v Darrell Lea Chocolate Shops Pty Ltd (2007) 159 FCR 397 Campomar Sociedad, Limitada v Nike International Ltd (2000) 202 CLR 45 Carnival Cruise Lines Inc v Sitmar Cruises Ltd (1994) 31 IPR 375 Ceramiche Caesar SPA v Caesarstone Ltd (2020) 154 IPR 237 Chocolaterie Guylian NV v Registrar of Trade Marks (2009) 180 FCR 60 Coca-Cola Co v All-Fect Distributors Ltd (1999) 96 FCR 107 Colorado Group v Strandbags Group No 2 (2006) 69 IPR 281 Combe International Ltd v Dr August Wolff GmbH & Co KG Arzneimittel (2021) 157 IPR 230 ConAgra Inc v McCain Foods (Aust) Pty Ltd (1992) 33 FCR 302 Domain Names Australia Pty Ltd v .au Domain Administration Ltd (2004) 139 FCR 215 E & J Gallo Winery v Lion Nathan Australia Pty Ltd (2010) 241 CLR 144 E & J Gallo Winery v Lion Nathan Australia Pty Ltd [2008] FCA 934 Frucor Beverages Ltd v The Coca-Cola Company (2018) 132 IPR 318 Global Brand Marketing Inc v Cube Footwear Pty Ltd (2005) 66 IPR 19 Hashtag Burgers Pty Ltd v In-N-Out Burgers, Inc (2020) 15 IPR 186 Hermes Trade Mark [1982] RPC 425 Johnson & Johnson Aust Pty Ltd v Sterling Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd (1991) 30 FCR 326 Kowa Co Ltd v Organon [2005] FCA 1282 Lodestar Anstalt v Campari America LLC (2016) 244 FCR 557 Mayne Industries Pty Ltd v Advanced Engineering Group Pty Ltd (2008) 75 IPR 102 Nature's Blend Pty Ltd v Nestle Australia Ltd (2010) 87 IPR 464 New South Wales Dairy Corporation v Murray-Goulburn Co-operative Co Ltd (No 1) (1989) 14 IPR 26 Optical 88 Limited v Optical 88 Pty Ltd (No 2) (2010) 89 IPR 457 Optical 88 Ltd v Optical 88 Pty Ltd (2011) 93 IPR 202 PDP Capital Pty Ltd v Grasshopper Ventures Pty Ltd (2021) 160 IPR 174 Pepsico Australia Pty Ltd v Kettle Chip Company Pty Ltd (1996) 33 IPR 161 Philips Electronics NV v Remington Consumer Products (1997) 40 IPR 279 Phone Directories Company Australia Pty Ltd v Telstra Corporation Limited (2014) 106 IPR 291 Pinnacle Runway Pty Ltd v Triangl Ltd (2019) 148 IPR 211 Pioneer Kabushiki Kaisha v Registrar of Trade Marks (1977) 137 CLR 670 Puxu Pty Ltd v Parkdale Custom Built Furniture Pty Ltd (1980) 31 ALR 73 RB (Hygiene Home) Australia Pty Ltd v Henkel Australia Pty Ltd [2021] FCA 1094 Registrar of Trade Marks v Woolworths Ltd (1999) 45 IPR 411 Shell Company of Australia Ltd v Esso Standard Oil (Australia) Ltd (1963) 109 CLR 407 Southern Cross Refrigerating Co v Toowoomba Foundry Pty Ltd (1954) 91 CLR 592 Sports Warehouse Inc v Fry Consulting Pty Ltd (2010) 186 FCR 519 Stone & Wood Group Pty Ltd v Intellectual Property Development Corp Pty Ltd (2018) 129 IPR 238 Taco Company of Australia Inc v Taco Bell Pty Ltd (1982) 42 ALR 177 Taxiprop Pty Ltd v Neutron Holdings Inc (2020) 156 IPR 1 Telstra Corp Ltd v Phone Directories Co Pty Ltd (2014) 107 IPR 333 TGI Friday's Australia Pty Ltd v TGI Friday's Inc (1999) 45 IPR 43 Trident Seafoods Corporation v Trident Foods Pty Ltd (2019) 143 IPR 1 Urban Alley Brewery Pty Ltd v La Sirene Pty Ltd (2020) 150 IPR 11