Westminster City Council this week met with npower to urge the company to back down on threats of legal action over the authority’s use of the term ‘juice points’.
The council has used the term to brand points across the centre of the capital, where electric cars can recharge their batteries, but the energy company insists it infringes its trade mark as it introduced the renewable energy tariff ‘npower Juice’ in 2001.
npower has ordered the council to drop the word juice, as its own ‘juice’ is a ‘market-leading, iconic brand’. Cllr Danny Chalkley, cabinet member for environment and transport, said after the discussion: ‘Although the meeting was constructive, we are still some way of resolving the issues.
‘However, I’m pleased that npower seems to be moving away from its former, rather threatening legal position, although the company still insists only it alone is able to use the word “juice.’”
Westminster was the first local authority in the UK to install free on-street points in December 2006. In May last year, it added a further 10, and branded them ‘juice points’ – bringing its total tally of recharging points for electric and hybrid vehicles to 60. There are plans to add a further six this year.
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