Spain’s Supreme Court Upholds Lactalis’s “Fresh” Label
Lactalis has won a significant Spanish court case over the use of “fresh” for pasteurised horchata. The ruling allows the product to be marketed under that description without constituting unfair competition.
Spain’s Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit concerning Lactalis Puleva’s use of the word “fresh” on a pasteurised horchata product.
The court confirmed that pasteurised horchata may be sold as “fresh”. It found that using the term did not amount to unfair competition.
The case involved Lactalis Puleva, Mercadona and Horchata Panach. The ruling therefore preserves the commercial description challenged in the proceedings.
The lawsuit was brought by an artisanal producer from Valencia. The dispute centred on whether a pasteurised beverage could legally carry the designation “fresh”.
The Supreme Court’s decision rejected the claim against the three companies. It brings the litigation to an end, according to the report.
