Aldi's baby puffs snuffed out in snack appeal case

Aldi, the discount supermarket chain, has been dealt a setback in a copyright infringement case involving its toddler snack range called Mamia. The Australian Federal Court ruled in favor of Hampden Holdings, the company behind the Little Bellies and Mighty Bellies brands, finding that three Mamia products infringed upon the Little Bellies copyright.

Despite Aldi's attempt to redesign its packaging, the court found that the new designs still contained numerous similarities to the original Little Bellies packaging. The infringement was deemed "flagrant" by Justice Mark Moshinsky. In addition to the three infringed products, the court also found two more Mamia products to be in breach.

This decision is a significant blow to Aldi, which has previously managed to avoid infringement claims by using different product names. The appeal process is ongoing, with the original infringement findings for the blueberry puffs snack being narrowed but not overturned. The case will now be revisited by the primary judge to determine the final damages.