Back in September 2016, The LEGO Company started their legal battle against companies that produced knockoff sets. In what appears to be a landmark victory and a first step to take on counterfeiters, The LEGO Group has announced that the LEGO logo and name is now a “well-known” trademark in China meaning that it can now take action against companies that infringe on the trademark.

The Beijing Higher Court passed a ruling earlier this year [July 22, 2017] that recognises the LEGO® logo and the LEGO name in Chinese as ’well-known’ trademarks in China. The well-known trademark recognition is an important milestone in getting broader protection for LEGO trademarks in China. This means that the LEGO Group is now in a better position to act against infringement of LEGO trademarks, also outside the toy category.

Peter Thorslund Kjær, Vice President, Legal Affairs in the LEGO Group, said: “The ruling by the Beijing Higher Court is very important for the LEGO Group. It reflects the significant effort and investment put into marketing the LEGO brand and products towards the Chinese consumers, and it further reduces the risk that consumers in China are misled when they see the LEGO logo or the LEGO name in future. We are now in a better legal position acting against infringement of LEGO trademarks and defending our trademark portfolio.

“We see this as a recognition of our status in China as a known and loved brand by parents and children, and we appreciate the support from the Chinese government and authorities to ensure the continued protection of millions of Chinese consumers as well as our unique trademark and logo.”

The LEGO Group actively protects its trademarks globally and each year brings relevant cases to courts to ensure that consumers can always trust that a product carrying the LEGO logo or featuring the characteristic LEGO design is genuine.

“Since 1932 the LEGO name and the LEGO logo have been a guarantee of the highest safety and quality standards. We are committed to doing what it takes to protect children and assure parents that when a product features a LEGO logo it will offer the best quality, as well as be great fun to play with. We will continue to take action globally when we see attempts to mislead consumers and infringement of our trademarks and copyrights,” said Thorslund Kjær.

What consumers can do to ensure they get a genuine LEGO experience:

Look for the LEGO logo and LEGO name on the product

Look for the LEGO name on the bricks inside the box. Every genuine LEGO element has the LEGO name on it.

What makes LEGO products unique:

All LEGO elements made since 1958 fit together.

Each element has to pass thorough tests to ensure the durability and clutch power as well as physical safety requirements.

All raw materials used to manufacture LEGO bricks are thoroughly tested to ensure they meet the strictest global requirements for safety.