Molly Tea's Four-Petal Flower Logo Dispute
Popular Chinese tea chain Molly Tea has been ordered to pay 10.3 million yuan (£1.1 million; $1.5 million) in damages after a court ruled that its logo infringed on a Louis Vuitton trademark, sparking widespread online debate about copyright protection.
Chinese media reported last week that a court in Jiangsu province, eastern China, found that the Shenzhen-based tea company had copied Louis Vuitton's iconic four-petal flower monogram trademark.
The ruling has divided public opinion online in China, with a hashtag related to the case garnering over 400 million views and tens of thousands of comments.
The BBC has reached out to both Molly Tea and Louis Vuitton for comment.
Court Ruling and Trademark Details
On Thursday, a court in Suzhou, located just east of Shanghai, ordered Molly Tea to cease using the contested logo, issue a public apology, and pay damages to Louis Vuitton, according to Chinese state media outlet China Daily.
China Daily also reported that Molly Tea and its affiliated companies had applied for multiple trademarks, many of which were rejected by the China National Intellectual Property Administration. Only the trademark containing the Chinese characters for "Molly Tea" was successfully registered.
Public Reaction and Online Debate
Many Chinese social media users have defended Molly Tea's logo design, pointing out that numerous Western luxury brand designs have been inspired by Chinese artifacts.
One commenter on the Weibo platform wrote in Mandarin that he will "drink a cup of Molly Tea daily" to show his support for the company.
"Give me a break. They're just taking advantage of the fact that our ancestors didn't file for patents," the commenter added.
Another user on RedNote, a Chinese social media platform, stated,
"Such basic geometric shapes have been used everywhere throughout history, not just China."
However, some online users supported the court's verdict.
A Weibo user remarked that those defending Molly Tea's design should "study law first," arguing that there is no dispute since Louis Vuitton had already registered the trademark.
Another user said Louis Vuitton is justified in defending its intellectual property and that other brands do not have the right to imitate it, regardless of their industry.
About the Trademark
The four-petal flower symbol is one of Louis Vuitton's trademark designs.
Additional reporting by Koh Ewe
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