Browsing by Subject "brand protection"

Use of selective distribution has increased in response to growth of online sales. However, the question regarding when and how selective distribution systems can be used in order to protect brand image has remained somewhat unclear. This research seeks to answer two questions. Firstly, whether the nature of the product can justify the use of selective distribution, and secondly, should luxury brands be protected over other brands. Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has weighed the matter in some rulings, but room for interpretation remains. The research is divided into seven chapters. The legislative framework in the EU is presented in Chapter 2. The European Commission has adopted new Vertical Block Exemption Regulation and new Vertical Guidelines on 10 May 2022. This new regulation will be presented and referred to through the research. Chapter 3 presents objectives of using selective distribution. Chapter 3 also discusses the economic and consumer perspectives of the subject. Method of the research is legal-dogmatic. Competition effects of selective distribution are discussed in Chapter 4. In Chapter 5, the concept of “aura of luxury” is addressed and the chapter aims to provide an overview of what in fact is “luxury”. Chapter 5 also presents brand desirability and consumer commitment to brands in order to outline the factors that make consumers desire branded goods. Case law is presented in Chapter 6 in order to give insight on how the matter has been assessed by the CJEU. Chapter 6 leads to the conclusions of the seventh and last chapter.