Dutch court orders Lidl to stop selling Birkenstock sandal lookalikes

Lidl faces penalties of €5,000 a day in the Netherlands after a Dutch court ruled sandals resembling five of Birkenstock’s best-known styles infringed its copyright

A Dutch court has ordered Lidl to stop selling sandals that it ruled infringed the copyright in some of Birkenstock’s best-known designs.

The District Court of Gelderland, sitting in Arnhem, found in favour of Birkenstock in a case involving Lidl products resembling its Arizona, Madrid, Gizeh, Boston and Florida styles.

According to Birkenstock, the court found that all of the Lidl sandals at issue infringed its copyright, particularly the design of its distinctive footbed.

Lidl must now stop offering the products in the Netherlands and could face a penalty of €5,000 for every day it fails to comply.

The supermarket chain – which can appeal the ruling – has also been ordered to provide details of sales and orders involving the sandals.

Birkenstock said Lidl must compensate it for damage caused by the infringement, with the amount to be determined in separate proceedings, as well as reimburse its legal costs.

In a statement, the German footwear group, whose shoemaking heritage dates back to 1774, said: “Birkenstock will continue to defend its rights vigorously and will use all available legal means to combat imitations of its iconic products.

“To protect its retail partners and consumers, Birkenstock will continue to take decisive action against copycats seeking to profit from the company’s creative ideas and innovations.

“The message is clear: Copycats must not be allowed to free-ride on Birkenstock’s creativity and innovation.”

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_{Main image: The German footwear group has won a Dutch copyright case against Lidl over products resembling five of its best-known designs. Picture: aaronisnotcool/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0}