Economy
Lidl Banned from Selling Imitation Birkenstocks in the Netherlands
A Dutch court has ruled that supermarket chain Lidl must cease selling imitation Birkenstock sandals due to copyright infringement on the distinctive cork footbed design. The judge determined that Lidl's Madrid model copied the entire protected design, while other models infringed on the footbed element, requiring all affected shoes to be removed from shelves. Lidl is ordered to provide sales data to Birkenstock and pay damages for losses incurred. This decision follows a similar November 2025 ban on retailer Scapino regarding Birkenstock imitations, which is currently under appeal.
Ozetta summarises; the reporting is the newsroom's