Wal-Mart settles Fendi counterfeit case
Fendi Adele S.R.L. Fendi S.r.l., and Fendi North America, Inc. and Sam’s Club, a division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., have resolved a dispute in the litigation that Fendi currently has pending, in which the luxury goods brand claimed that Sam’s Club and various other retailers sold counterfeit bags and other products under the Fendi label.
Under the agreement, Sam’s Club has agreed to pay to Fendi an undisclosed settlement and Fendi will dismiss its lawsuit against Sam’s Club. In addition, Sam’s Club will offer consumers the opportunity to return any bags, wallets, and scarves they purchased at Sam’s Club with a Fendi label for full refunds. Sam’s Club had already removed all Fendi-labelled bags, wallets and scarves from its shelves.
Commenting on the settlement, Doug McMillon, president and CEO of Sam’s Club, said, “We are pleased that we have resolved our dispute with Fendi. We have programmes in place to protect the intellectual property rights of others. However, during this litigation, Fendi provided us information that the twelve types of bags and wallets specifically listed in its complaint were not genuine. We accept this information.”
