During inspections, the Putuo District Market Supervision Bureau discovered that numerous wedding car rental companies, including an automotive service company in Shanghai, were utilizing vehicles with illegally modified Rolls-Royce trademark logos for rental services without authorization from the trademark owner. These companies marketed wedding car packages themed around "Rolls-Royce" and "Silver Cloud" on platforms like Dianping, a well-known online review platform, leading consumers to believe that the rented vehicles were associated with Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
After seeking legal guidance from the China National Intellectual Property Administration and Shanghai Intellectual Property Administration, the bureau determined that these operators, despite being aware of the strong reputation of the Rolls-Royce brand, had failed to take reasonable precautions. Their rental operations posed a risk of misleading consumers regarding the origin of the vehicles and encroached upon the trademark owner's commercial opportunities, thereby constituting trademark infringement under China's trademark law.
In accordance with regulatory directives, the bureau concluded that these actions contravened Article 57(1)(1), (7) of the Trademark Law and Article 6(1) of the Anti-Unfair Competition Law. As a result, fifteen entities were collectively fined over 730,000 yuan ($101,069.03) for their trademark infringements.
This case sets a precedent in the administrative safeguarding of trademarks, highlighting China's effectiveness in combating fraudulent counterfeiting and upholding market integrity, while also improving the business environment in Shanghai.
