Fiskars and Bodum were in a dispute over copyright in relation to a cup. Fiskars believes that Bodum's "Douro" cup is an imitation of "Contrast", which is produced by Fiskars-owned Royal Copenhagen. Photo: Sø- og Handelsretten/Free
Fiskars wins court case over Bodum coffee cup
Fiskars, owner of Royal Copenhagen, has successfully sued Bodum over a coffee cup design infringement. The Danish Maritime and Commercial High Court ordered Bodum to recall and destroy their ‘Douro’ cups, deemed too similar to the Royal Copenhagen ‘Contrast’ series. Despite Bodum claiming inspiration from Portuguese landscapes, the court awarded Fiskars 75,000 DKK in damages, underscoring the cups’ identical visual impression to untrained eyes. Fiskars’ ‘Contrast’ mug, designed by H.C. Gjedde in 2007, is a bestseller with 1.5 million sold, notable for its ridged porcelain characteristic of Royal Copenhagen since 1775. Bodum’s lawyer informed DR that they plan to appeal the ruling.