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Mon, 06 Jul 2026

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 Backlash after China bubble tea firm ordered to pay Louis Vuitton $1.5m

A court in China ruled that Molly Tea had infringed on the luxury brand's four-petal flower design.
Molly Tea, a Chinese tea chain, has been ordered by a court to pay 10.3 million yuan (approximately £1.1 million) in damages for allegedly infringing on Louis Vuitton's trademark with its four-petal flower logo. The court ruled that Molly Tea had copied the iconic design without permission, and the company was also ordered to stop using the logo, issue a public apology, and pay damages to Louis Vuitton. The case has sparked an online debate in China over copyright protection, with some users defending Molly Tea's design as not being unique or original. Others supported the court's verdict, arguing that Louis Vuitton had already registered the trademark and that other brands should respect intellectual property rights.