Fast-Fashion Rivals Shein, Temu in UK Copyright Showdown

Online fashion retailer Shein has accused rival Temu of "industrial scale" copyright infringement, while Temu contends Shein is using legal action to suppress competition. A trial began at London's High Court.

Credit: UNSPLASH

This case is part of a worldwide legal dispute between the rapidly expanding companies. It holds potential implications for platform practises, supplier relations, and intellectual property enforcement across global e-commerce.

Shein alleges Temu utilised thousands of its photographs to promote copies of Shein's own-brand apparel on its platform. Shein's lawyer, Benet Brandreth, stated this was an attempt to "steal a march on an existing participant in the market" and gain an unfair advantage, building on Shein's allegation that Temu sought to "piggy-back" on a more established competitor.

Temu denies these allegations. Mr. Brandreth informed the court that Temu abandoned its defence against Shein's copyright claims concerning nearly 2,300 photographs.

PDD Holdings-owned Temu has filed a counter-claim, seeking damages after removing thousands of product listings due to a Shein injunction. Temu also alleges Shein violated competition law by requiring fast-fashion suppliers to sign exclusive agreements. This portion of the case is scheduled for trial next year.

Temu's lawyers assert that Shein's lawsuit is not a genuine effort to prevent copyright infringement. Instead, they argue it aims to secure a competitive advantage for Shein. This two-week London trial represents the latest legal confrontation between the companies, which have also filed lawsuits against each other in the U.S.

Shein and Temu have rapidly expanded into international markets, offering low-cost clothing, accessories, and gadgets. However, the previous year's removal of a U.S. customs exemption on low-value e-commerce parcels, with the European Union to follow in July, could impact their growth.

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• Shein accuses Temu of "industrial scale" copyright infringement in a trial at London's High Court.

• Temu counter-claims, alleging Shein uses litigation to stifle competition and broke competition law.

• Shein's lawyer, Benet Brandreth, stated Temu dropped its defence for nearly 2,300 photos.

Source: REUTERS

Dua Lipa Sues Samsung Over Image Use, Seeks USD 15 Million

British pop star Dua Lipa has filed a lawsuit against Samsung Electronics, seeking at least USD 15 million in damages. She accuses the South Korean technology giant of using her image without permission to market its television sets.

Credit: DUA LIPA/ INSTAGRAM

The lawsuit alleges Samsung featured a copyrighted image of Lipa on the front of cardboard boxes for televisions sold at retail. This allowed the company to benefit from what appeared to be her endorsement of the product.

The image in question is described as "Dua Lipa - Backstage at Austin City Limits, 2024." The lawsuit states Lipa owns all rights, title, and interest in this image.

Filed on Friday in a California federal court, the suit also accuses Samsung Electronics of copyright and trademark infringement, along with breaching publicity rights.

Samsung Electronics denied the allegations, stating there was no intentional misuse of the image. The company claimed the image was provided by a third-party partner.

This partner created content featuring Lipa for Samsung's free streaming service. Samsung added that the image was used only after explicit assurance from the content partner that permission had been secured, including for the retail boxes.

Samsung also stated that it has actively sought and remains open to a constructive resolution with Lipa’s team.

Lipa’s lawyers attached screenshots of social media postings and comments to the filing. These claim the pop star's image on the boxes encouraged potential customers to purchase the product.

One screenshot shows a fan commenting they would acquire the television because Lipa was featured on it.

The "Levitating" singer became aware of Samsung's alleged infringement in June last year and demanded the company cease using her image. However, her lawyers stated the electronics manufacturer repeatedly refused.

Lipa's legal team also asserted that Samsung’s alleged unauthorised use of her image has caused and continues to cause dilution of her brand identity and commercial goodwill. This is by falsely conveying to the public that she approves of and endorses the products.

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• British pop star Dua Lipa is suing Samsung Electronics for at least USD 15 million.

• The lawsuit alleges Samsung used Lipa's copyrighted image without permission to market televisions.

• Accusations include copyright infringement, trademark infringement, and breaching publicity rights.

Source: REUTERS

Top US CEOs Join President Trump for China Trade Discussions

President Donald Trump is visiting China, accompanied by a delegation of prominent US business leaders, a White House official stated. The visit aims to facilitate mutual trade and investment between the two nations.

Credit: THE WHITE HOUSE

Executives joining President Trump include Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk, Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook, GE Aerospace Chief Executive Officer Larry Culp, and Boeing Chief Executive Officer Kelly Ortberg.

Other notable attendees are Meta's Dina Powell McCormick, BlackRock's Larry Fink, Blackstone's Stephen Schwarzman, Micron's Sanjay Mehrotra, Mastercard's Michael Miebach, Qualcomm's Cristiano Amon, and Visa's Ryan McInerney.

Additional participants consist of Cargill's Brian Sikes, Coherent's Jim Anderson, and Illumina's Jacob Thaysen.

China is anticipated to announce significant purchases related to Boeing airplanes, American agriculture, and energy. Such major business deals are often unveiled during summit meetings between China and the United States.

Boeing has been in prolonged discussions with China for an order that could include 500 737 MAX jets, alongside dozens of widebody jets powered by GE engines. This would represent China's first major Boeing order since 2017.

Ortberg told Reuters that Boeing was counting on the Trump administration to help unlock this long-awaited order. An announcement could be a significant win for the leaders' summit and potentially the single largest airplane order in history.

The two countries will also discuss lengthening a truce in their trade war. This truce currently allows rare earth minerals to flow from China to the US, though extension details remain unclear.

Cisco Chief Executive Officer Chuck Robbins was invited by the White House but could not attend due to the company's earnings release, a company spokesperson said.

Nvidia Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang is not accompanying President Trump to Beijing. A person familiar with the matter indicated that Huang was not invited, with the White House focusing on agriculture and commercial aviation.

President Trump has developed a strong relationship with Huang since taking office. He agreed to allow Nvidia's H200 AI chips to be exported to China.

However, these chips have not yet been sold, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said. This is due to difficulties Chinese companies face in getting permission from the Chinese government to complete purchases.

The last meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping was in South Korea. They agreed to pause a bruising trade war, which had seen the US impose triple-digit tariffs on Chinese goods.

Beijing had previously threatened to restrict the global supply of rare earths during that period.

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• President Donald Trump is visiting China with a delegation of prominent US business leaders, including Elon Musk and Tim Cook.

• The visit aims to foster mutual trade and investment, with China expected to announce major purchases of Boeing aircraft, agriculture, and energy products.

• Discussions will include potentially extending a trade war truce concerning rare earth minerals.

Source: REUTERS