Delhi High Court Orders Removal of ‘Croose’ Trademark After Crocs’ Complaint
The Delhi High Court has granted relief to global footwear brand Crocs by ordering the removal of the trademark ‘Croose’, which it found to be deceptively similar to Crocs [Crocs Inc. v. The Registrar of Trademarks New Delhi & Anr.].
Justice Tejas Karia observed that Croose was visually and phonetically close to Crocs and could easily mislead customers. The Court held that such similarity was prohibited under Section 11(1)(b) of the Trademarks Act, which bars registration of marks that resemble existing trademarks for identical or similar goods.
Crocs had moved the High Court seeking cancellation of Croose’s registration, arguing that the rival mark tried to exploit its distinctive design, goodwill, and reputation. The company pointed out that it has been using its registered trademark in India since 2005–06.
Although Croose did not file any written response, the Court considered its oral opposition during hearings. After comparing the two marks and their products, the Court concluded that Croose must be deleted to maintain “purity of the register.”
Accordingly, the Court directed the Trade Marks Registry to strike off the Croose mark (Registration No. 3409214 in Class 25) from its records and update the official website within four weeks.
