The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has declared that use of the prefix "Mc" cannot be exercised at the discretion of fast food giant McDonald's and instead must be subjected to a proof of use test by the EUIPO, following a battle over trademarks between McDonald's and Irish fast food chain Supermac's.
"Delighted"
The Irish Independent quotes Supermac's managing director Pat McDonagh as saying, "We're delighted with the latest decision by the EUIPO to remove McDonald's' monopoly of the 'Mc' prefix.
"McDonald's tried to argue that because they had some products that started with 'Mc' that the term 'Mc' was so synonymous with them that they had the right to own and trademark.
"We are delighted that the EUIPO found in our favour and that we can now say that we have rid Europe of the McDonald's self-styled monopoly of the term 'Mc'.
"They wanted to trademark the term 'Mc' for everything, but this judgment means they can't have it."
Big Mac Loss
The EUIPO's decision follows McDonald's Corp's loss of the rights to the trademark "Big Mac" in an EU case ruling in favour of Supermac's in January of this year.
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