Portugal: Budejovicky Budvar wins exclusive rights to the Budweiser trademark in Portugal

The Czech brewery Budvar says a Portuguese trade court has ruled that it will have the exclusive rights to the Budweiser trademark in the country, cancelling the rights owned by rival Anheuser-Busch InBev, The Associated Press reported on February 19.

State-owned Budejovicky Budvar NP has been fighting with Anheuser-Busch for over a century over use of the Budweiser name. The legal battle continued when Anheuser-Busch was taken over by Belgium's InBev in 2008 to create the world's largest brewer.

In a statement on February 19, Budvar says the Lisbon court banned AB InBev from selling any beer under the name Budweiser. It gave Budvar the sole rights to the Budweiser trademark in Portugal.

AB InBev spokeswoman Karen Couck said in an email the ruling has not affected the sales of its beer "under the established Bud brand in Portugal."

21 February, 2014