The Delhi High Court has ruled against Amazon Technologies Inc., ordering the company to pay ₹340 crore in damages to Lifestyle Equities C.V. for trademark infringement. The case revolves around the unauthorized use of the ‘Beverly Hills Polo Club’ (BHPC) trademark.
Lifestyle Equities sued Amazon in 2020, claiming that Amazon was selling products with a logo similar to BHPC under its private label brand, ‘Symbol.’ The lawsuit alleged that Amazon, along with its seller Cloudtail India, was misleading customers by using a logo that closely resembled the well-known Beverly Hills Polo Club trademark.
The Delhi High Court found Amazon guilty of trademark infringement and imposed a penalty of ₹340 crore. The court also issued a permanent injunction, prohibiting Amazon from using any logo similar to BHPC.
Cloudtail India, which was one of Amazon’s major sellers, admitted to the violation and settled the case by agreeing to pay ₹4.78 lakh, which represented 20% of its revenue from the infringing products.This ruling sets an important precedent for e-commerce platforms operating in India. It highlights the need for online marketplaces to ensure that they are not selling counterfeit or trademark-infringing products.
Amazon Seller Services, which operates Amazon’s marketplace in India, was also named in the lawsuit. However, after complying with the court’s directive to remove the infringing listings, it was removed from the list of defendants.
The verdict in this case serves as a strong warning for online marketplaces regarding trademark compliance. Companies must be careful about the products listed on their platforms to avoid legal action and heavy penalties.
This ruling reinforces the importance of brand protection and intellectual property rights in the digital marketplace, ensuring fair competition and transparency for consumers.
