He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him
Whenever the Monsieur Cuisine food processor hits Lidl supermarkets, it sells like hot cakes. The super affordable price and performance features, identical to other models on the market, help explain the high demand from consumers.
But precisely the similarity of this appliance with its more expensive Thermomix colleague, has led the German brand to be accused of plagiarism of a patent in Spain.
The result was the consequent obligation to collect the robot in question from the supermarkets of the chain.
According to the Spanish newspaper “El País”, the trial took place over two days in November in a Barcelona court. The accusation was launched by Vorwerk, who believed that Monsieur Cuisine had infringed one of the Thermomix patents in Spain.
In a statement, reported by Cinco Dias, the judge explains that the resolution focused on the "scale" function, which the Thermomix uses thanks to a circuit independent from the one that controls the movement of the mug, which allows you to "weigh with the machine in operation, with the lid closed and with the machine stopped but on, placing food in the jug ".
According to the court, "Lidl reproduces in its Monsieur Cuisine robot all the characteristics" described above and protected by the Vorwerk patent, recognized by Spain in 2008. Lidl has been marketing its food processor since June 2018, and the owner of the Thermomix has made the first lawsuit on June 14, 2019 for patent infringement.
The judges thus decided that the Lidl robot violates the patent law and therefore ordered the withdrawal of the product from the Spanish market, but also the ban on imports, storage, offers and any type of advertising.
The amount of compensation that Lidl will have to pay to Vorwerk is not yet known. The sentence can be appealed, but the court stresses that Lidl must now enforce the terms of the sentence. If he does not do so voluntarily, Vorwerk can request provisional execution.
From Lidl they just communicate that they take "note" of the decision, they will analyze the matter in detail to evaluate the "next steps to follow".
Now the question that arises spontaneously is whether this decision can create a precedent in other countries as well. We specify, however, that the sentence is valid only in Spain and not in other European countries.
In any case, it breaks the heart of those who have made a philosophy of life at Monsieur Cuisine.
Source: El Pais/ Five Days
