Yesterday, the appellate instance of the Moscow Region Arbitration Court upheld a decision that prohibits the Podolsk Meta-Tabak factory from using trademarks owned by the Baltika brewing company. Nevertheless, the tobacco workers did achieve one relaxation - yesterday’s decision will allow them to save a significant amount.
The confrontation between Baltika and Meta-tobacco began last fall. Cigarettes "Baltika # 3" and "Baltika # 9" appeared in St. Petersburg stores, some design elements of which (the spelling of the word "Baltika", the image of waves and the coat of arms on the pack) were similar to the image from the labels of famous beer. The brewing company immediately filed a claim with the Arbitration Court against Meta-Tabak, although the factory was only a manufacturer of cigarettes, and the order for their production was placed by the VTF company, which developed the design of the pack and was involved in marketing the products. Nevertheless, the Podolsk factory was recognized as the defendant. After an examination that proved the similarity of a pack of cigarettes and a beer label “to the point of confusion,” the court banned Meta-Tabak from producing and selling cigarettes with Baltika trademarks. In addition, tobacco workers were required to publish information at their own expense in print and electronic media about the cessation of the production of Baltika cigarettes. The Podolsk factory did not agree with this decision and filed an appeal.
Yesterday, the second instance considered the appeal of "Meta-tobacco" against the decision of the Arbitration Court of the Moscow Region. This attempt was doomed to failure. In addition to the similarity of design, the Baltika company has registered its own trademark in the class of tobacco products. Therefore, it is quite logical that the appellate court upheld the decision in favor of Baltika. Nevertheless, yesterday’s meeting of Meta-Tabaku and the Soyuzkontrakt-Tabak Association, which includes this factory, did bring some benefit. According to the court's decision, tobacco companies should not publish refutations at their own expense, which will allow them to save tens of thousands of dollars.
However, Baltika is not going to stop in its pursuit of Meta-tobacco. Commenting on the court decision for Kommersant, Taimuraz Bolloev said: “We will demand compensation from the factory for our losses.” Their size in the company is now being determined. Soyuzkontrakt-tabak refused to comment on the court decision and its further actions.
ROMAN OVCHINNIKOV

Newspaper "Kommersant St. Petersburg" No. 74 dated April 25, 2001, p. 2

"Baltika" again did not let me light a cigarette