Birkenstock files counterfeit complaint in India

German footwear company Birkenstock has filed a lawsuit in the Delhi High Court in India, claiming that a group of individuals, trading companies and factories have been involved in producing knock-off copies of it iconic sandals.

According to a Reuters report, four footwear traders, four manufacturing units, and two unnamed individuals are named as defendants in the suit, which focuses on counterfeits manufactured in rural areas around tourism hotspot Agra, most famous for being the site of the Taj Mahal.

Citing people familiar with the matter, the news wire said that multiple raids on small-scale factories in recent weeks resulted in the seizure of footwear that upon inspection was deemed to be fake. It says the shoes were being produced both for sale in the domestic market and for export. The next hearing in the case is set for October 6.

Today, The Hindu newspaper reported that the court passed an interim order blocking several companies from producing or distributing shoes that mimic the Birkenstock brand.

The German company reported €12.8 billion in sales last year, up 22 per cent, on the back of a trend among fashionistas to wear shoes made famous by the likes of models Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner and movie star Margot Robbie.

Birkenstock has battled counterfeits of its footwear for many years, going so far as to pull its products from Amazon after falling out with the online retailer over fake sales on its platform, although other retailers may still list them using its third-party seller marketplace.