Deeside based Iceland warns supermarkets over King Prawn Ring trademark

News and Info from Deeside, Flintshire, North Wales

This article is old - Published: Friday, Sep 27th, 2024

Deeside-based Iceland Foods has issued a legal warning to UK supermarket chains over the sale of what it calls “imitation” King Prawn Rings, accusing rivals of copying one of its most iconic products.

In a lighthearted but firm open letter addressed to major supermarket chains, including Aldi, Tesco, Asda, and Lidl, Iceland claims that it was the first to launch the King Prawn Ring in 1991.

Now, more than 30 years later, the Deeside Industrial Estate based company has applied for a trademark on the term “King Prawn Ring” and registered its product design with the Intellectual Property Office (IPO).

The letter, which features a series of seafood-related puns, warns other supermarkets that they must remove their versions of the King Prawn Ring from sale and refrain from including them in their Christmas ranges. Failure to comply, Iceland warns, could lead to legal action.

“Let’s be honest, it was a shellfishly brilliant idea, but since then, we’ve seen more than a few copy-crustaceans crawling out of the pond. Aldi, Tesco, Lidl, Asda, we’re looking at you,” reads the letter.

Iceland argues that despite competitors’ attempts to replicate the product, its King Prawn Ring remains the original, and it’s time for others to “reel in” their imitations. The company claims its lawyers are prepared to take legal action if necessary.

“Our lawyers are more than ready to dive into legal waters, and trust us, they’re well-armed to claw back what’s rightfully ours,” the letter continues.

While Iceland’s letter is peppered with playful language, the underlying message is serious.

The company asserts that once their trademark application is granted, any supermarket continuing to sell a version of the King Prawn Ring could face legal consequences.

This bold move comes at a critical time, as supermarkets prepare for the busy Christmas period, where prawn rings are a popular festive item. Iceland is making it clear that it expects its competitors to remove their “pretender” rings from their seasonal product lines.

The letter concludes with a final warning: “We don’t want to have to scale things up, but if you continue to flounder in your ways, we’ll have no choice but to reel you in.”

In response, Aldi posted on X, along with Iceland’s letter: “Lol our lawyers aren’t scared of nothing”.