Listening
Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- packaging / ˈpæk ə dʒɪŋ / (n.) – a material or container used to hold, cover, and present a product for sale
Example:The company changed its product’s packaging to make it more attractive.
- store-brand / ˈstɔr brænd / (adj.) – relating to a product made for a store and sold under a store’s own label
Example:She bought the store-brand cereal because it was cheaper and tasted similar to the popular brand.
- blatantly / ˈbleɪ tənt li / (adv.) – in a very clear and obvious way, often without caring if it is wrong or disappointing
Example:His blatantly rude behavior toward the staff made the other customers feel uncomfortable.
- irreparably / ɪˈrep ər ə bli / (adv.) – in a way that cannot be fixed or repaired
Example:Many families lost their homes when the flood irreparably damaged houses and the town’s bridge.
- trademark / ˈtreɪdˌmɑrk / (n.) – a symbol, name, or design on a product that shows what company made it, and it cannot be used by other companies without permission
Example:She designed a new logo for her company and registered it as a trademark.
Article
Read the text below.
Snack food maker Mondelez International is suing the Aldi supermarket chain, alleging the packaging for Aldi’s store-brand cookies and crackers “blatantly copies” Mondelez products like Chips Ahoy, Wheat Thins and Oreos.
In a federal lawsuit filed in Illinois, Chicago-based Mondelez said Aldi’s packaging was “likely to deceive and confuse customers” and threatened to irreparably harm Mondelez and its brands. The company is seeking monetary damages and a court order that would stop Aldi from selling products that infringe on its trademarks.
Aldi didn’t respond to messages seeking comment. The U.S. branch of Aldi, which is based in Batavia, Illinois, was named in the lawsuit.
In the lawsuit, Mondelez displayed side-by-side photos of multiple products. Aldi’s Thin Wheat crackers, for example, come in a gold box very similar to Mondelez’s Wheat Thins. Aldi’s chocolate sandwich cookies and Oreos both have blue packaging. The supermarket’s Golden Round crackers and Mondelez’s Ritz crackers are packaged in red boxes.
Aldi, which was founded in Germany, keeps prices low by primarily selling products under its own labels. It’s one of the fastest-growing grocery chains in the U.S., with more than 2,500 stores in 39 states. The company announced that its current chief operating officer, Atty McGrath, would become Aldi’s U.S. CEO on September 1.
The chain has faced lawsuits over its packaging before. Last year, an Australian court found that Aldi infringed on the copyright of Baby Bellies snack puffs for young children. In that case, Aldi’s packaging featured a cartoon owl and similar colors to the name-brand packaging.
Earlier this year, a U.K. appeals court ruled in favor of Thatchers, a cider company, which sued Aldi over design similarities in the packaging of its lemon cider.
Mondelez said in its lawsuit that the company had contacted Aldi on numerous occasions about “confusingly similar packaging.” Mondelez said Aldi discontinued or changed the packaging on some items but continued to sell others.
The lawsuit also alleges that Aldi infringed on Mondelez’s trade dress rights for the packaging of Nutter Butter and Nilla Wafers cookies, and its Premium cracker brand.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
- Mondelez, the company that makes Oreo and Ritz, is suing Aldi because Aldi’s store-brand packaging looks very similar. Do you think it’s wrong for companies to make their packaging look almost the same as other popular brands? Why or why not? Discuss.
- As a shopper, is the packaging of a product important? Why or why not? Does it matter to you if the product’s packaging looks similar to another product? Why or why not? Discuss.
Discussion B
- Does packaging influence you to buy a product? Why or why not? What kind of packaging would make you want to buy something? Discuss.
- Imagine you are starting your own snack brand. What would your packaging look like? Would you want it to stand out or look like other popular snacks? How would you make sure people trust your product? Discuss.
