A case that originated in Finland concerned liability for a defective product and the concept of “producer” under EU trademark law. A coffee machine (the Philips Saeco Xsmall HD8743/11) manufactured by Saeco, a Romanian subsidiary of Philips, caught fire. The machine contained trademarks of both Saeco and Philips. The unlucky consumer that got a fire instead of coffee decided – through its insurance company – to seek liability damages against Philips.
Trademark Owner Liable to Consumer for Product Defect, European Court of Justice Rules
