The owner of a Vancouver pot shop, Budway, has been ordered to destroy all of its signage after being sued by the Subway franchise for trademark infringement.

According to a federal court decision issued June 10, William Matovu is to pay $40,000 for copying SubwayB次元官网网址檚 branding and tarnishing the franchiseB次元官网网址檚 reputation as a result.

The storeB次元官网网址檚 mascot is a red-eyed, cannabis-filled sandwich smoking a joint. The mental linkage between the dispensaryB次元官网网址檚 mascot sandwich and Subway is B次元官网网址渋nescapable,B次元官网网址� said Justice Nicholas McHaffie in his ruling.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the way, budB次元官网网址� appears below the mascot in pictures on BudwayB次元官网网址檚 social media and at its 1024 Clark Drive store.

The shopB次元官网网址檚 logo also uses colour patterns and arrow motifs similar to that of SubwayB次元官网网址檚, said McHaffie.

People commenting on the shopB次元官网网址檚 social media posts made the link between Budway and Subway, the company argued.

Matovu had not mounted a defence against the Subway franchiseB次元官网网址檚 lawsuit. As of publishing this article, photos of the sandwich mascot and logo are still up on BudwayB次元官网网址檚 Instagram.

sarah.grochowski@bpdigital.ca
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