Weetabix is CENSORED in New Zealand as British food store is ordered to cover up box labels in row with rival cereal firm Weet-bix
- A Little Bit of Britain wanted to stock British Weetabix at its store in Christchurch
- But rival cereal firm Weet-Bix said shoppers could mistake product with its own
- New Zealand’s High Court judges said UK-themed shop could stock Weetabix
- But it will have to cover up the labels on boxes of the whole grain wheat cereal
Weetabix has been censored in New Zealand after a British food store was ordered to cover up box labels in a row with rival cereal firm Weet-bix.
Sanitarium, the producer of Weet-Bix, claimed shoppers at ‘A Little Bit of Britain’ in Christchurch could mistake the British product for its own.
The row ended up in New Zealand’s High Court with Sanitarium arguing the sale of Weetabix was a breach of the country’s Fair Trading Act.
Weetabix has been censored in New Zealand after a British food store (pictured) was ordered to cover up box labels in a row with rival cereal firm Weet-bix
Sanitarium, the producer of Weet-Bix (right), claimed shoppers at ‘A Little Bit of Britain’ in Christchurch could mistake the British product (left) for its own
Judges said the fact it would go on sale in a UK-themed food store meant there was no chance of customers being mistaken and granted permission for the British product to be stocked.
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But Justice Grendall found importing the item with a similar name breached the Trade Marks Act meaning the shop will need to cover the labels of Weetabix packets on its shelves.
In a statement, Sanitarium said the judge’s decision had been the result it was looking for and that it would protect its brand of the whole grain wheat cereal.
Weetabix has yet to respond after MailOnline requested a comment this morning.
A Little Bit of Britain posted a Facebook picture of a Weetabix box with its label covered and asked customers to suggest new names for the product
According to RNZ, the row had meant some boxes of Weetabix had been seized by customs – with all 108 having to be destroyed.
A Little Bit of Britain posted a Facebook picture of a Weetabix box with its label covered and asked customers to suggest new names for the product.
‘Woohoo! It’s been such a long time coming but it’s finally done. You can be assured we will be getting Weetabix in our next container.
‘As per the Judge’s ruling, we have to sticker over the Weetabix logo so please help us out and let us know below what you think we should call it.
‘We were thinking “confuse a brit” since they think we are so easily led astray. Get commenting and let us know!’
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