Iceland Foods is fighting for its national brand (Image: Rex/Getty)

Iceland A British supermarket has taken Iceland to court again.

Founded in 1970, Iceland Foods has fought for years for ownership of the Scandinavian island, first settled by humans in 874.

However, the Icelandic government said this would prevent domestic companies from describing their products as Icelandic.

Now Iceland and Iceland Foods are once again at war with the chain after it appealed the 2019 EU ruling.

The case was referred to the Great Council (Bloc Trademark Rights) of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).

Icelandic state broadcaster RÚV reported that oral arguments began on Friday.

Margret Hjalmarsdottir, a lawyer at the Icelandic Intellectual Property Office, told reporters: “This is because Icelandic companies use the word Iceland in their trademarks to refer to the products they sell. It means they can’t.” said.

Members of the EUIPO board, made up of EU board members, are unlikely to make a decision until next year.

Iceland Supermarket, Junction Road, Islington, London, UK

Unlike the country, Iceland has no geysers or northern lights (Image: Alamy Stock Photo)

However, either party may appeal this decision to the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Known for its frozen pizzas and British mother’s love, Iceland Foods first applied for a trademark called “Iceland” in the EU in 2002.

At the time, Iceland Foods was owned by the Icelandic retail group Baugur, but the 2008 financial crisis left the business in the hands of the banks.

In 2014, Iceland Foods founder Malcolm Walker regained control, and two years later the EUIPO finally granted the company’s trademark claim.

However, the Icelandic government did not like it and tried in vain to settle it out of court.

But the controversy escalated in 2015 when a frozen food vendor tried to block the trademark for the “Iceland-inspired” brand.

This trademark was registered with an organization called Islandsstofa. Iceland Foods saw the organization simply as a trading company.

People visit the site of a newly erupted volcano in the Meradalir valley near Mount Fagladalsfjar in Iceland on August 4, 2022. - The site of the eruption is about 40 km (25 miles) from Reykjavík, near the volcano in eruption Fágradalsfjar. For six months, from March to September 2021, it captivated the tourists and spectators who gathered at the place. (Photo by Jeremy Richard/AFP) (Photo by Jeremy Richard/AFP Getty Images)

People watch the erupting volcano in Meladalir, Iceland (Image: Getty Images/AFP)

it was not. Iceland Foods, like the Icelandic government itself, objected to the use of the word “Icelandic” on its products.

The Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs worked with Promote Iceland, Business Iceland and the patent law firm Arnason Factor to defend Iceland’s national identity.

In 2019, Iceland received a decision from the EUIPO to revoke Iceland Foods’ exclusive EU trademark registration rights.

Guadeloupean Foreign Minister ÞórÞórðarson said at the time: “The result is by no means surprising as it defies common sense that a foreign company can offer monopoly rights on behalf of a sovereign state, but we are seeing this result”. .

“This is an important victory with big implications for Icelandic exporters.

has reached out to Iceland for comment.

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