HARRISBURG, Pa. — Bitter rivals in the candy aisle may also duke it out in court.
The Hershey Co. sued Mars Inc. this week in federal district court, with the maker of Hershey’s and Reese’s chocolate candies accusing the maker of Snickers, M&Ms, and Dove candies of mimicking some of its packaging.
Hershey is claiming trademark dilution and infringement, and unfair competition.
The lawsuit, filed Monday in Harrisburg, contends that Mars’s packaging of its Dove peanut butter chocolate Promise squares is trying to piggyback on the patented orange, brown, and tan wrappings of the Reese’s peanut butter chocolate products that Hershey has marketed for decades.
McLean, Va.-based Mars did not respond to telephone messages seeking comment. The image of the Dove peanut butter Promises squares package on the Dove website is different from the image cited in Hershey’s lawsuit.
Hershey is the nation’s largest maker of chocolate candies, with Mars second. In 2008, Hershey also was atop the larger confectionery category, but Mars leapfrogged it with its $23 billion purchase of mint and chewing-gum giant Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.
© Copyright 2010 Globe Newspaper Company.
