The Coca-Cola company has appealed a Russian court's decision to reject a lawsuit against an Omsk manufacturer which the global soft drink giant said used their trademarked symbols to sell the traditional Russian beverage kvas, Rapsi reported.
A local manufacturer of carbonated drinks called Spring sells kvas under the "Bochonok" brand. A two-liter bottle of the beverage has a similar shape to that of Coca-Cola's. The color of the plastic used and the design of the labels of the two bottles differ.
The Omsk Arbitration Court rejected Coca-Cola's lawsuit against Spring on July 18.
Coca-Cola representatives emphasized that the shape of the bottle is one of the essential parts in the company's well-recognized and patented image. But the defendant presented marketing reports which noted that consumers were not misled about who the manufacturers of the different beverages are by the bottle's shape.
The Coca Cola company sells its own version of kvas called "Kruzhka i Bochka." The bottle of that product is designed to look like a stalk of wheat, so is visibly different from the one used for the company's iconic pop soda drink.
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