Anticipation surrounds the 'Spezi' court case decision, as Paulaner and Berentzen await judgement in their dispute - Anticipated Ruling in Spezi Case: Paulaner vs Berentzen Court Battle
The legal battle between Paulaner Brewery and Berentzen Group over the design of cola mix bottles is set to reach its climax today, with the Munich Regional Court expected to deliver a verdict this afternoon, August 5, 2025.
At the heart of the dispute is Paulaner's accusation that Berentzen's Mio Mio Cola+Orange product infringes upon its rights with its design, which bears a striking resemblance to the wavy design of Paulaner's well-known Spezi cola-mix bottle. The value of the case is set at a quarter of a million euros.
Paulaner, who registered the distinctive wave pattern of its Spezi bottle in the colors yellow, orange, red, pink, and purple, argues that such color combinations can become trademarks if customers understand them as an indication of origin. The brewery claims that Berentzen's design infringes upon its rights, potentially undermining its own legal position if other manufacturers bring optically similar products to the market.
Berentzen, on the other hand, argues that colorful designs are common in the soft drink industry and that its bottle features circular shapes rather than waves. The company's marketing chief claims that the design idea for Mio Mio came from a similarly designed wallpaper in their former student room. Berentzen contends that it is implausible that consumers would associate Mio Mio with Paulaner based on colors and shapes.
The legal dispute is not the first time Paulaner has taken action against competitors over the Spezi design. In 2022, the brewery itself was the defendant in another Spezi dispute, where the smaller Augsburg-based brewery Riegele had argued over the rights to the name Spezi and unsuccessfully sought licensing fees for the name.
The court's decision in this ongoing dispute will have significant implications for both parties and could set a precedent in the soft drink industry regarding the protection of product designs as trademarks. As of the latest search results, the actual ruling or verdict from the Munich court has not been explicitly reported or made available. The case was pending a decision by the court on that date.
In light of this ongoing legal battle, it's crucial for both Paulaner and Berentzen to review their community policies, emphasizing the importance of originality and intellectual property rights in their vocational training programs for future employees in the finance and business sectors. Misappropriation of design elements in these industries could lead to costly litigation and damage to brand reputation.
Paulaner, if successful in its claim, may expand its vocational training curriculum to address the need for understanding how color combinations can function as trademarks in the soft drink business, potentially strengthening its market position and discouraging imitation from competitors.
