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Amazon challenges ₹340 crore fine over Beverly Hills Polo Club trademark row
Amazon has also been accused of diluting the value of Lifestyle’s brand by selling similar-looking products at heavy discounts, using its strong platform reach to influence consumer perception.
Amazon challenges ₹340 crore fine over Beverly Hills Polo Club trademark row
Amazon Technologies Inc has approached the division bench of the Delhi High Court to challenge an earlier ruling that ordered the US-based e-commerce giant to pay ₹340 crore in damages. The penalty was awarded to Lifestyle Equities C.V. and Lifestyle Licensing B.V. for allegedly infringing on their registered trademark ‘Beverly Hills Polo Club’, according to a report by The Economic Times.
A division bench led by Justice Hari Shankar has reportedly listed the matter for hearing on Wednesday, 7 May. Amazon has argued that the Lifestyle companies, which claimed “extensive goodwill and recognition” for their brand in India, did not provide adequate evidence of actual infringement in the original hearing. Amazon says the case deserves closer scrutiny by the division bench.
What is the Amazon vs Beverly Hills Polo Club case?
In February this year, Justice Prathiba M. Singh had issued a permanent injunction preventing Amazon Technologies from advertising or selling any product featuring a logo that is identical or deceptively similar to Lifestyle’s trademark.
According to the Economic Times, Justice Singh noted that Amazon — as a major player in India’s e-commerce space — used its platform to promote such products, often at prices up to 90% lower than Lifestyle’s, describing it as a “deliberate strategy of obfuscation” to avoid accountability.
She also pointed out that Amazon Technologies, Cloudtail India, and Amazon Seller Services — all part of the Amazon Group — were working as a “cohesive commercial entity”. However, they failed to provide clarity to the court on how these businesses were connected. “The clear attempt is to not disclose the exact relationship between the said three defendants to this court,” she remarked, adding that Amazon’s conduct lacked transparency and suggested an intent to withhold key information.
Lifestyle Equities, which launched Beverly Hills Polo Club in India in 2007, said the infringement was “wilful” and demanded exemplary and punitive damages. The trademark includes the word-mark as well as a logo featuring a polo player on horseback holding a raised mallet, evoking the luxury and prestige associated with the Beverly Hills area of Los Angeles.
Amazon has also been accused of diluting the value of Lifestyle’s brand by selling similar-looking products at heavy discounts, using its strong platform reach to influence consumer perception.
The outcome of Amazon’s appeal could have significant implications for how India handles trademark rights in its rapidly growing e-commerce ecosystem.
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