Birkenstock loses out to Aldi for imitation sandals at EUR 10
The German shoe manufacturer had filed a lawsuit against the supermarket chain at a very low price: the accusation was that it had copied Bostons shoes by selling them at a very low price. Defeat on appeal for the company
1' min read
1' min read
The German Birkenstock sandals, hated and loved equally by the public all over the world, suffer a sound defeat at home against the supermarket Aldi, famous for its bargain prices and very popular with the less affluent.
The Appeal Case
A German regional court dismissed a lawsuit brought by the German brand against supermarket chain Aldi for alleged violations of design and competition laws. Birkenstock had claimed that Aldi-branded shoes for sale on its shelves infringed copyright: it had asked the courts for damages, suspension of the sale of the products in question, and access to financial data. The Superior Court of Munich, however, upheld a lower court's first instance ruling that had dismissed the case.
From 160 to 10 Euro
Aldi's shoes, with an almost identical appearance to the shoe giant's famous Bostons sandals, are sold for around 10 Euro per pair, compared to the original's remarkable 150 Euro. The battle against Aldi comes after the difficulties that Birkenstock, founded in the late 18th century, had with its listing on the stock exchange. A year ago, the British parent company Birkenstock Holdings Plc landed on Wall Street at a price of USD 46 per share, and thus a capitalisation of over 8 billion. However, the first day of listing was a flop, the worst debut in 10 years for a freshman on the Nyse, the New York Stock Exchange. Over the course of the year, however, the stock has recovered: today it stands at USD 50, up 10% from its IPO price.
