Lidl banned from selling copycat Birkenstock sandals, Dutch court rules
Lidl must also compensate Birkenstock and pay its legal fees, according to the court ruling
A Dutch court has ruled that Lidl must cease selling counterfeit versions of Birkenstock's popular sandals in the Netherlands. The discount supermarket chain faces a daily fine of €5,000 (£4,200) if it does not comply and must also provide Birkenstock with sales data. Additionally, Lidl must compensate Birkenstock and cover its legal fees, the amount of which will be determined in subsequent court decisions.
Birkenstock's statement emphasized that the ruling sends a clear message that unauthorized copycats must not profit from [their] creativity and innovation. The BBC has since reached out to Lidl for comment. The decision, while appealable, prohibits Lidl from selling its copycat versions of Birkenstock's Arizona, Madrid, Gizeh, Boston, and Florida models across the Netherlands.
This ruling follows a series of court decisions on Birkenstock designs, including a similar order in November 2025 against retailer Scapino and a European high court ruling in December 2025 that deemed everyday commercial products capable of holding copyright if they represent creative design choices – a decision Birkenstock deemed relevant to its iconic sandals.
Despite setbacks, such as the German Supreme Court ruling that Birkenstock sandals are practical products rather than artistic works, Birkenstock remains committed to vigorously defending its rights and using all available legal means to combat imitations of its iconic products.
Written by urgent.news from BBC Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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