INAO obtains landmark decision in "Saucisson d'Avergne" protected geographical indication

Client(s) INAO - Institut National de L'origine et de la Qualité

Jones Day successfully represented the French Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO) against a large producer of sausages and related products massively commercialized in large national supermarkets in France under the "Louis Auvergne" trademark, while its products could not benefit from the "Saucisson d'Auvergne" protected geographical indication. In its April 5, 2022, decision the Lyon First Instance Court canceled the contested trademark for fraud, sentenced Etablissements Philis for infringement of the protected indication, and ordered measures of prohibition of further sales and recall of the litigious products from commercial channels. The proceedings remain pending concerning the amount of final damages to be awarded to our client. This decision is the first decision of this kind issued for the Auvergne region, which is a significant agricultural and gastronomic production area in France.