{"componentChunkName":"component---src-templates-news-js","path":"/news/how-close-is-too-close-copyright-lessons-from-aldi-s-packaging-appeal/","result":{"data":{"page":{"nodes":[{"backgroundImage":{"asset":{"fixed":{"width":1600,"height":900,"src":"https://cdn.sanity.io/images/y7pxdzrv/production/2df668e938c95f4150d80be2d1da047e843e76d6-1221x557.jpg?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop","srcSet":"https://cdn.sanity.io/images/y7pxdzrv/production/2df668e938c95f4150d80be2d1da047e843e76d6-1221x557.jpg?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop 1x","srcWebp":"https://cdn.sanity.io/images/y7pxdzrv/production/2df668e938c95f4150d80be2d1da047e843e76d6-1221x557.jpg?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&fm=webp","srcSetWebp":"https://cdn.sanity.io/images/y7pxdzrv/production/2df668e938c95f4150d80be2d1da047e843e76d6-1221x557.jpg?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop&fm=webp 1x"}}}}]},"news":{"id":"-bf8ac383-0277-5202-98a6-cb73ffaecb58","authors":[],"_rawBody":[{"_key":"b1d2bf3db221","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"ce27b3b41427","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Quick Hit"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"d8ea09d1dda5","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"1e47172ba5840","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Aldi has been largely unsuccessful in its copyright appeal regarding its snack food packaging. Although the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia found that the judge at first instance applied the incorrect test, the Court nevertheless found that Aldi had infringed copyright in the packaging of several Baby Bellies snacks."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"846e87903b7d","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"9a97796410930","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The decision is a useful reminder that copyright can be a powerful tool for brand owners to protect their products from imitators. It also stands as a warning to those using another person’s work as a “benchmark” or inspiration in making their own work."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"07694f8eff4b","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"da7fbd3e44c30","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Background"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"4ed20a8a7034","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"7a326278f6830","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Hampden owns copyright in the artwork on packaging of its baby and child food products sold under “BABY BELLIES” and other brands."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"87d5e97cb8f5","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"ca21eb9199250","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Aldi developed competing products under its MAMIA brand and set out to create packaging that resembled the Hampden packaging, but with enough differences to avoid infringement. Evidence showed that Aldi gave its designers examples of the Hampden packaging as a “benchmark”, and instructed them to “follow the architecture” of those works. Aldi gave feedback was given at various stages of the process to make changes to the design to make it less similar so as to avoid liability."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"338a5d6bcac0","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"9717f857258e0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"In 2024, Hampden brought proceedings against Aldi in the Federal Court of Australia for copyright infringement. At first instance, Justice Moshinsky found that three of Aldi’s works infringed copyright."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"e21184971a5e","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"9b1707e7b8520","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Aldi appealed, arguing amongst other things, that the primary judge had approached the copyright infringement assessment incorrectly."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"e0af8757b1cd","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"537f7c8a95310","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"The Full Court’s infringement findings"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"1137716fac26","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"0bf1d45ddbb20","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The Full Court ultimately found that five of Aldi’s works infringed copyright. The infringing Aldi works are pictured below next to the corresponding Hampden work which was infringed."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"ca09b97163c2","_type":"image","asset":{"_id":"image-e9fac2820e027916059ac9a1804de2b5008f6df1-900x760-png","_type":"sanity.imageAsset","_rev":"KgXlWfrto0uH4D0gY9uTf5","_createdAt":"2026-10-19T05:05:02Z","_updatedAt":"2026-10-19T05:05:02Z","assetId":"e9fac2820e027916059ac9a1804de2b5008f6df1","extension":"png","metadata":{"_type":"sanity.imageMetadata","blurHash":"eFP6?V00t9?G8^4n_No#MwozDi-;bbRit7%MjrofjZoL-;MwsmazWB","dimensions":{"_type":"sanity.imageDimensions","aspectRatio":1.1842105263157894,"height":760,"width":900},"hasAlpha":true,"isOpaque":true,"lqip":"data:image/png;base64,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","palette":{"_type":"sanity.imagePalette","darkMuted":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#3f4c3c","foreground":"#fff","population":0.7,"title":"#fff"},"darkVibrant":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#904c32","foreground":"#fff","population":0.75,"title":"#fff"},"dominant":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#b9a475","foreground":"#000","population":3.52,"title":"#fff"},"lightMuted":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#c8c3b1","foreground":"#000","population":2.71,"title":"#fff"},"lightVibrant":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#eec398","foreground":"#000","population":0.46,"title":"#000"},"muted":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#b9a475","foreground":"#000","population":3.52,"title":"#fff"},"vibrant":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#e08f36","foreground":"#000","population":0.55,"title":"#fff"}},"thumbHash":"cwgKDoCAWZW1aIiWeIiImIZqTzjKdvQ="},"mimeType":"image/png","originalFilename":"Screenshot 2026-10-19 145346.png","path":"images/y7pxdzrv/production/e9fac2820e027916059ac9a1804de2b5008f6df1-900x760.png","sha1hash":"e9fac2820e027916059ac9a1804de2b5008f6df1","size":702738,"uploadId":"4e02d3e6e09f288a81ea7de6f64f94272f3b6119","url":"https://cdn.sanity.io/images/y7pxdzrv/production/e9fac2820e027916059ac9a1804de2b5008f6df1-900x760.png","id":"image-e9fac2820e027916059ac9a1804de2b5008f6df1-900x760-png","children":[],"internal":{"type":"SanityImageAsset","contentDigest":"f877a81db6dd0a1bf68877ffda3efedb","owner":"gatsby-source-sanity","counter":71},"parent":null}},{"_key":"09bb3a4a9c5b","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"e8ee031cbe46","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"The correct test for copyright infringement"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"f61f956ceaee","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"a8ff1ec394900","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Copyright in an artistic work is infringed when a substantial part is reproduced, without permission of the copyright owner. Determining whether a substantial part of a copyright work has been reproduced is a qualitative, not a quantitative, assessment. There is no bright line between infringement and non-infringement – as this case shows, reasonable minds may differ."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"22b9373a5b05","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"876fd37cb53d0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The Full Court explained that the proper analysis requires a side-by-side comparison of the pair of works, having regard to all of the similarities and differences.This means not just identifying the similar elements, but analysing the extent to which those elements are similar or different. The layout and design of an artistic work can be an element of the expression of the artistic work. Copyright protects the “look and feel” of a work "},{"_key":"876fd37cb53d1","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"only"},{"_key":"876fd37cb53d2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" to the extent that it is represented by identifiable elements of expression in a material form."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"3ba455a93ec8","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"57dbc607eb340","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The side-by-side comparison also requires consideration of the originality of the part taken. This may involve considering evidence of the skill and labour that went into the process of creation. For example, Hampden’s evidence demonstrated that the design process was iterative, and had involved varying levels and stages of design input and feedback on colour, fonts and styles. The Full Court found that skill and effort had been misappropriated.Consideration of originality may also involve assessing whether the similar feature is commonplace. While a commonplace feature (for example, a white background) may be given little weight, it is nevertheless the totality of elements which fall to be assessed."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"4d5fc36a3506","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"b0bd06e3f0ad0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The Full Court found that the primary judge fell into error by listing at a level of generality the features of the Hampden packaging and then simply considering whether each element was or was not present in Aldi’s packaging. This analysis did not consider each pair of comparative works separately, and did not consider the extent of similarity or originality in each element."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"836b97099f8a","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"6ec2b67c9da90","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"What did not infringe copyright"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"19ae76f4e9b3","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"497ceca75d2c0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Other forms of Aldi’s packaging were found not to infringe Hampden’s packaging when compared to the same Baby Bellies Blueberry Puffs. The below is an example non-infringing Aldi Work compared to Hampden’s Baby Bellies Blueberry Puffs:"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"1c488a3c6c71","_type":"image","asset":{"_id":"image-f35f2a2ca56398ea41b3170b6aab536c7d5787bc-361x190-png","_type":"sanity.imageAsset","_rev":"4KadoRCGGTzEXVk8eSLrFR","_createdAt":"2026-10-19T23:03:14Z","_updatedAt":"2026-10-19T23:03:14Z","assetId":"f35f2a2ca56398ea41b3170b6aab536c7d5787bc","extension":"png","metadata":{"_type":"sanity.imageMetadata","blurHash":"MMMj,P-XD$O9?d~VxDaxNGM|%NNEaxxHX3","dimensions":{"_type":"sanity.imageDimensions","aspectRatio":1.9,"height":190,"width":361},"hasAlpha":true,"isOpaque":true,"lqip":"data:image/png;base64,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","palette":{"_type":"sanity.imagePalette","darkMuted":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#475a42","foreground":"#fff","population":1.86,"title":"#fff"},"darkVibrant":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#54a420","foreground":"#fff","population":0.01,"title":"#fff"},"dominant":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#b6a370","foreground":"#000","population":5.78,"title":"#fff"},"lightMuted":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#cec7b1","foreground":"#000","population":1.91,"title":"#fff"},"lightVibrant":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#e7c59a","foreground":"#000","population":0.35,"title":"#000"},"muted":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#b6a370","foreground":"#000","population":5.78,"title":"#fff"},"vibrant":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","background":"#999a36","foreground":"#fff","population":5.07,"title":"#fff"}},"thumbHash":"awgGDIJL1CSPZ4Zal4yjqvC3nA=="},"mimeType":"image/png","originalFilename":"Screenshot 2026-10-20 100228.png","path":"images/y7pxdzrv/production/f35f2a2ca56398ea41b3170b6aab536c7d5787bc-361x190.png","sha1hash":"f35f2a2ca56398ea41b3170b6aab536c7d5787bc","size":119966,"uploadId":"a27e0d74156667b55877e2f3ccb4f48eafb6854a","url":"https://cdn.sanity.io/images/y7pxdzrv/production/f35f2a2ca56398ea41b3170b6aab536c7d5787bc-361x190.png","id":"image-f35f2a2ca56398ea41b3170b6aab536c7d5787bc-361x190-png","children":[],"internal":{"type":"SanityImageAsset","contentDigest":"3d71e7ca499b0c340fd25d87cc52333d","owner":"gatsby-source-sanity","counter":75},"parent":null}},{"_key":"f73259471953","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"21f30086c04a","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The differences identified by the Full Court included the size, type and colour of the cartoon character and the colour, sizes and font of the text."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"7301ea533b3b","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"ec5685c09e5f0","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Additional damages"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"65d5cb4d68b1","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"ac8efb7d23260","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Where copyright infringement is found to be flagrant, the infringer may be ordered to pay additional damages. Such damages are in addition to compensatory damages or an account of profits, and are intended to punish the infringer and deter future similar conduct."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"5f976fa58bc6","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"8ec746ba5f280","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"At first instance, Aldi was found liable for additional damages as it had deliberately developed packaging that resembled the Hampden works. The Full Court upheld this finding. It deliberately courted risk, while seeking a commercial benefit, notwithstanding its attempts to argue that it had tried to stay on the right side of the infringement line. The amount of damages that Aldi must pay has not yet been decided."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"550a8bc8bc62","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"060670b079930","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Key takeaways"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"73c6091ea5b8","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"5d61a3f8a0ec0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Copyright is a powerful tool for protection of brands and packaging. It can be used alongside other actions such as trade mark infringement, passing off and misleading or deceptive conduct."}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"d6bc65610c16","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"42ae0488bcff0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"If your business is developing its own branding, marketing materials or packaging, keep records of your design briefs and each stage of the process.These can help show you created your own material independently, and the skill and effort involved."}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"b3dd26fd3da4","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"5207b33308980","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Be cautious about using competitor’s materials as the starting point for creating your own materials. Even if the intention is to stay far enough away from a competitor, changes to the original work may not be sufficient to avoid a finding of infringement and differences may be seen as deliberate attempts to obscure copying."}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"3b1a494ca343","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"4ce762b0484e","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"By Esther Ting and Anna Spies"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"244883aa5ef5","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"9f5543a90efd0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"For assistance with copyright matters, please contact "},{"_key":"9f5543a90efd1","_type":"span","marks":["4388dd040474"],"text":"Adam Simpson"},{"_key":"9f5543a90efd2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", "},{"_key":"9f5543a90efd3","_type":"span","marks":["c5eeccb56a42"],"text":"Clare Young"},{"_key":"9f5543a90efd4","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" or "},{"_key":"9f5543a90efd5","_type":"span","marks":["3d4e7d07dfbe"],"text":"Anna Spies"},{"_key":"9f5543a90efd6","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"4388dd040474","_type":"link","href":"https://www.simpsons.com.au/people/adam-simpson/"},{"_key":"c5eeccb56a42","_type":"link","href":"https://www.simpsons.com.au/people/clare-young"},{"_key":"3d4e7d07dfbe","_type":"link","href":"https://www.simpsons.com.au/people/anna-spies"}],"style":"normal"}],"publishedAt":"October 19th 2026","pageSEO":null,"title":"How Close Is Too Close? Copyright Lessons from Aldi’s Packaging Appeal"}},"pageContext":{"id":"-bf8ac383-0277-5202-98a6-cb73ffaecb58"}},"staticQueryHashes":["4115437175"]}