A Chinese bubble tea chain has been ordered to pay 10.3m yuan (£1.1m; $1.5m) in damages after a court ruled its four-petal flower logo infringed a Louis Vuitton trademark, triggering a fierce online debate over intellectual property protection.
The ruling, handed down by a court in Suzhou in eastern Jiangsu province, ordered Molly Tea to stop using the logo, issue a public apology and pay damages to the French luxury brand, according to Chinese state media China Daily. The Shenzhen-based tea company and its affiliated firms had applied for multiple trademarks that were rejected by the China National Intellectual Property Administration, with only the trademark containing the Chinese characters for "Molly Tea" successfully registered.
“Chinese court orders Molly Tea to pay Louis Vuitton $1.5m for copying its four-petal flower logo.”
The decision has divided China’s social media users, with a hashtag linked to the case drawing more than 400 million views and tens of thousands of comments on platforms including Weibo and RedNote.
Many defended Molly Tea’s design, arguing that Western luxury brands have often drawn inspiration from Chinese artefacts. One Weibo user wrote in Mandarin: "Give me a break. They’re just taking advantage of the fact that our ancestors didn’t file for patents." Another said they would "drink a cup of Molly Tea daily" to show support. A RedNote user added: "Such basic geometric shapes have been used everywhere throughout history, not just China."
But others backed the court’s verdict. A Weibo user said those who support Molly Tea’s design should "study law first", arguing that there is no dispute because Louis Vuitton had already registered the logo. Another said Louis Vuitton is justified in defending its intellectual property, and that other brands do not have the right to imitate it, regardless of their industry.
The BBC has contacted Molly Tea and Louis Vuitton for comment. The case highlights the growing tensions around intellectual property in China’s booming bubble tea market, where brands often adopt distinctive logos to stand out.