Hugo Boss demands Liverpool pet store rebrand over name dispute

An online Liverpool pet store has been told to change its name by fashion giant Hugo Boss.

The luxury brand claimed the Liverpool company, named Boss Pets, was infringing its trademark - despite ‘boss’ being a commonly used word for ‘good’ across Merseyside.

Bootle-based Ben McDonald set up the pet supplies site in February and claims Hugo Boss sent him a letter demanding he take the website down within ten days or face legal action.

According to the BBC, his lawyer Francis McEntegart said Mr McDonald did not have a case to answer and accused the clothes retailer of bullying his client. He said:"My client is a small local business that is just starting out selling pet wellness products, it's not going to interfere with the profits of Hugo Boss in any way."

A spokesperson for Hugo Boss said: "We are aware that the English word 'boss' is one that is commonly used."

“Nevertheless, it’s our responsibility to monitor and protect our brand rights globally and address unclear cases where needed.”

“When we became aware of the registration, we have approached the business owner as the intended registration represents an overlap with our trademarks,” she added.

“As an international fashion company, we need to – like any other corporation – take measures to protect our existing trademark rights. These measures apply to both of our brands, Boss and Hugo.”