// Aldi lost High Court battle against Charlotte Tilbury over “lookalike” makeup range
// Charlotte Tilbury first brought legal action over a breach of copyright against the German discounter back in December
// Aldi denied all accusations at the time
Aldi has lost a High Court battle with eponymous cosmetics retailer Charlotte Tilbury over a “lookalike” makeup line.
The judge described the similarities between the two as “substantial”.
Makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury first brought legal action over a breach of copyright against the German discounter back in December, all of which Aldi denied at the time.
However, the High Court found that the packaging of Aldi’s Lacura Broadway Shape and Glow, which retailed at £6.99, had striking similarities to Tilbury’s Filmstar Bronze and Glow palette, which sells for £49.
Aldi estimated to have sold around 20,000 units of the bronzers before the action was bought, while Tilbury’s Filmstar Bronze and Glow palette has generated sales of nearly £13 million for the brand since it first started selling in 2013.
“Islestarr allege Aldi saw the success of the Filmstar palette and decided to copy features, so as to produce its own versions,” Judge John Linwood said.
“Islestarr say it demonstrates Aldi’s ethos of selling lookalike versions of well-known brands cheaply to encourage footfall in their stores”.
An Aldi spokesman said: “This matter relates to a product that was on sale for a very short period around December 2018. The dispute has since been fully resolved.”
The size of the damages awarded to Tilbury has not been revealed.
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