Dive Brief:
- A U.S. judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Trader Joe’s against the Canadian retailer Pirate Joe’s, which imports and sells Trader Joe's products.
- Trader Joe’s filed the suit in May 2013 against the store’s owner, Michael Hallatt.
- On Friday, Trader Joe’s released a statement saying it disagrees with the U.S. judge’s ruling in the case.
Dive Insight:
The federal U.S. judge ruled there is no reason to consider applying the Lanham Act to the case, allowing far-reaching jurisdictional powers on U.S. courts. The judge allowed Trader Joe’s 10 days to amend its complaint, noting that Canadian consumers couldn’t purchase Trader Joe’s goods from the major food retailer's website.
