THE Intellectual Property of the Philippines (IPOPHL) has referred to the brand owners a letter of a consumer group urging the agency to investigate a supermarket chain for selling “confusingly similar” products of popular consumer goods. 

Rowel Barba, IPOPHL director-general, said the agency has sent its reply to Malayang Konsyumer on the next step that can be done on its claim DALI Everyday Grocer could be infringing on the products of popular brands of snacks, spread, beverages and bleach.

Barba said it is up to the brand owners to initiate actions on the alleged infringement “because IP right is a private right.”

“Under the IP Code, the brand owners need to file a complaint,” Barba said in a text message.

In a letter dated Aug. 21, 2024 and addressed to Barba, Malayang Konsyumer provided some proof some of the products sold at were “confusingly similar” to established brands. 

Simoun Antonio Salinas, Malayang Konsyumer spokesperson, said the group has received “complaints regarding some of (Dali’s) current products, which we believe have been potential infringements of the Intellectual Property Code.”

Among the products cited by Salinas are Grandbisco Choco Bar Cake and Grandbisco Chocolate Chip Cookies, which are clearly copies of Lemon Square Lava Cake and Galinco Chips Delight. 

Other examples they presented include Say Cheese Spread, which looks like Chiz Whiz; Wagi Vienna Sausage, which share the likeness of CDO Vienna Sausage; Kopi Juan, a knockoff of Kopiko; Bakakult, Dali’s version of Yakult; and Kingrox Bleach, the Dali counterpart of Zonrox Bleach.

 DALI has a pending case of infringement with IPOPHL after condiments maker NutriAsia Inc. accused it of selling products that were similar to its UFC and Datu Puti products.