KeepCup sues Gloria Jean’s over reusable cup design

KeepCup has launched a court action in Australia against coffee retailer Gloria Jean’s over an alleged breach of copyright relating to the design of their reusable cups. KeepCup is claiming that Gloria Jean’s is selling a reusable glass cup with a band of cork around it that is “identical to, or substantially similar in overall impression” to KeepCup’s own design. The company is seeking an order for Gloria Jean’s to destroy all of its cork coffee cups and pay damages for the profits already made from the sale of the disputed cups. KeepCup claims that the cost of introducing a new product such as the cork cup to the market is in excess of US$370,000 and that the sale of counterfeits is damaging to its brand.