Court finds for Dutch liquor firm

SHANGHAI: A Shanghai firm has been ordered to pay Dutch liquor-maker Diageo 1.25 million yuan ($183,000) for copying its packaging, as the city concluded a campaign to fight intellectual property infringement.

In 2006, Diageo Brands B.V. and its Shanghai branch found Blueblood (Shanghai) Wine Co had used a packaging similar to that of its Black Label on a whisky named Polonius, and lodged a complaint to the local commerce bureau.

Blueblood was fined but continued to use the packaging. So Diageo filed a suit with the Shanghai No 2 Intermediate People's Court, demanding 2 million yuan compensation.