Costa Rican Supermarket Wins Trademark Battle Over Super Mario's Name

Nintendo suffers a surprising setback in a trademark dispute with a Costa Rican supermarket. The supermarket, "Súper Mario," successfully defended its use of the name against the gaming giant's challenge.

The court ruled in favor of the supermarket, accepting their argument that the name was a legitimate combination of their business type and the manager's first name, Mario. This decision came after Nintendo contested the renewal of the supermarket's trademark, registered in 2013 by the owner's son, Charito.

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Nintendo's claim of trademark infringement was countered by the supermarket's legal team, led by Jose Edgardo Jimenez Blanco. They successfully demonstrated the name's non-infringing nature, avoiding a costly legal battle against the multinational corporation.

Charito expressed immense gratitude to his legal advisor, stating they nearly conceded defeat before securing a positive outcome. The "Súper Mario" supermarket will remain operational.

While Nintendo holds exclusive rights to the "Super Mario" trademark in many countries across various product categories, this unexpected ruling underscores the challenges of protecting intellectual property, particularly when confronted by smaller businesses with justifiable reasons for using a similar name. The case serves as a cautionary tale, even for industry leaders like Nintendo.