Diageo wins court case against Intercontinental Brands

Diageo has won a landmark High Court legal battle with Intercontinental Brands over a vodka-based spirit.

The multinational drinks company whose brands include Smirnoff, took the Harrogate based company to court over its brand Vodkat, which it viewed customers were being led to believe they were buying real vodka, even though it contained only 22% abv. 

Philip Almond, a global marketing director from Diageo said: "We are pleased that the Court has ruled in Diageo's favour and that Intercontinental Brands will no longer be able to sell products under the Vodkat name.  

"The decision confirms as correct our view that vodka is a protectable category under the law of passing off (in the same way as whisky and Champagne), and that the brand name Vodkat, and the way it has been used, is likely to have resulted in substantial numbers of consumers being misled into thinking Vodkat is vodka, when it is not.  

"We believe this is important not only for Diageo but also for other vodka brand owners and producers and for vodka consumers. This landmark case will also ensure that the vodka category can be protected from other "vodka lookalike" products both now and in the future."

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