US electricals giant Best Buy is facing claims that it does not control its trading name in Europe.
A legal row has erupted after a rival electronics retailer claimed to have the European Union trademark rights to the name and asked Best Buy to stop using it, according to the Mail on Sunday.
Last week Best Buy suffered the loss of its chief executive of branded operations Paul Antoniadis, who led the UK launch, as revealed by Retail Week.
When his departure was revealed, it emerged court papers were filed which revealed a separate company, Worldwide Sales Corporation, which traded as Best Buy International from Spain for 16 years, had written to Best Buy Europe’s US head office.
The letter read: “Until a negotiated solution is reached, we hereby request that your client refrain from using the Best Buy trademark in Europe, issuing any press articles or making any announcement of its imminent activities in Europe.”
The dispute went to court but a judge dismissed the action and the disagreement remains unresolved.
A spokesman told the paper: “This has absolutely no material impact on the roll-out of the stores.”
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