《法律类文章精选：trousersuit》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《法律类文章精选：trousersuit（2页珍藏版）》请在金锄头文库上搜索。
1、法律类文章精选：TROUSERSUIT 1TROUSERSUIT TheEuropeanCourtsideswithLeviStraussinitsbattlewithTesco Dateline:NewYork ITWASarulingthathadconsumersseethingwithangerandmanyafreetradercryingfoul.OnNovember20ththeEuropeanCourtofJusticedecidedthatTesco,aBritishsupermarketchain,shouldnotbeallowedtoimportjeansmadebyA
2、mericasLeviStraussfromoutsidetheEuropeanUnionandsellthematcut-ratepriceswithoutgettingpermissionfirstfromthejeansmaker.Ironically,therulingisbasedonanEUtrademarkdirectivethatwasdesignedtoprotectlocal,notAmerican,manufacturersfrompricedumping.Theideaisthatanybrand-owningfirmshouldbeallowedtopositioni
3、tsgoodsandsegmentitsmarketsasitseesfit:Levisjeans,justlikeGuccihandbags,mustbeallowedtobeexpensive. LeviStrausspersuadedthecourtthat,bysellingitsjeanscheaplyalongsidesoappowderandbananas,Tescowasdestroyingtheimageandsothevalueofitsbrands-whichcouldonlyleadtolessinnovationand,inthelongrun,wouldreduce
4、consumerchoice.ConsumergroupsandTescosaythatLeviscaseisspecious.ThesupermarketarguesthatitwasjustarbitragingthepricedifferentialbetweenLevisjeanssoldinAmericaandEurope-aserviceperformedamilliontimesadayinfinancialmarkets,andonethathasledtorealbenefitsforconsumers.Tescohasbeensellingsome15,000pairsof
5、Levisjeansaweek,forabouthalfthepricetheymandinspecialiststoresapprovedbyLeviStrauss.ChristineCross,Tescosheadofglobalnon-foodsourcing,saystherulingriskscreatingaFortressEuropewithavengeance. Thedebatewillrageon,andhasimplicationswellbeyondcasualclothes(LeviStrausswasjoinedinitslawsuitbyZinoDavidoff,aperfumemaker).Thequestionatitsheartisnotwhetherbrandsneedtocontrolhow
