16/10/2012

Stock To Be Destroyed in Abercrombie & Fitch Legal Case

US retail giant Abercrombie & Fitch has taken a small Irish shop to court for selling its clothes without permission, just days before it opens its flagship Irish store.

Limerick District Court heard that more than 800 items of clothing from the popular US brand were seized at McGazz in Limerick's Milk Market on June 13.

The court heard Conor Twomey of McGazz bought the clothes at Abercrombie & Fitch outlet stores in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and then posted the goods to Limerick. He paid excise duty and tax before selling them at a cheaper price.

The stock, estimated to be worth up to €32,000, was made up of Abercrombie & Fitch clothing along with some Hollister brands, which is owned by the same parent company.

However under the 1996 Tradesmarks Act, it is illegal to sell trademarked goods from the US in Ireland unless they are licensed to be sold here and the manufacturer has given consent.

A private investigator hired by Abercrombie & Fitch, Brendan Considine, told the court he had conducted a "test purchase" at McGazz on May 26.

He told the court the item of clothing was genuine and had been bought in the US.

Counsel for Abercrombie & Fitch said it only sells its clothing in stores which it owns and operates.

The judge granted an order for the destruction of the seized clothing.

This is the second such case taken by Abercrombie & Fitch in Ireland ahead of the opening of its store in College Green, Dublin, on October 26.

(H)


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