NEWS RELEASE
19 December 2008
Court Of Appeal Finds In Favour Of AMHA
The Court of Appeal today dismissed a challenge by Watson & Sons Ltd which was aimed at stopping the Active Manuka Honey Association (AMHA) from making inquiries into labeling
issues relating to UMF® products sold by the company in the United Kingdom.
AMHA General Manager, John Rawcliffe, welcomed the court decision which would protect consumers’ rights to buy UMF®
products that are true to label.
“Over the past year, the Association has spent significant sums of money to employ professional investigators and take
action to remove license holders’ rights to use the mark if their product was found not to be true to label.
“These actions were challenged by now former license holder Watson & Son which sought an injunction which would effectively prevent AMHA from protecting its UMF® mark as well as the rights
of consumers. Today’s court decision is significant not only for the New Zealand honey industry but also for consumers
because it enables AMHA to sanction those license holders that don’t pack and sell product that’s true to label.”
Watson & Son resigned from AMHA today following the results of the court case.
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