Nespresso Sued in Paris by Ethical Coffee for ‘Smear’ Campaign
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Nestle SA was sued in Paris by capsule-coffee maker Ethical Coffee Co., which claimed the Swiss food company’s Nespresso brand engaged in unfair competition practices to stymie its rival’s growth.
Ethical Coffee filed a suit before the commercial tribunal yesterday claiming a “systematic smear” effort by Nespresso to bad-mouth its products and steer clients away from the competition, the Fribourg, Switzerland-based company said in a statement. Nespresso made such comments through its Nespresso Club, on the Internet and through machine distributors, Ethical Coffee said.