Lidl has been banned from selling lookalike versions of Birkenstock sandals in the Netherlands after a Dutch court ruled the company had infringed upon the German brand’s copyright.
The District Court of Gelderland, according to a statement from Birkenstock, found that Lidl’s lookalike sandals infringe on Birkenstock’s copyright and trademark design, specifically regarding the iconic footbed and insole. The court subsequently issued an injunction preventing Lidl from selling versions of Birkenstock’s Arizona, Madrid, Gizeh, Boston and Florida designs in the country.
Lidl faces a €5,000 (£5,600) penalty for every day it fails to comply with the ruling. The grocery chain has also been ordered to disclose sales and order data related to the infringing product and is required to pay damages and legal costs.
Birkenstock noted that this is the second time that a Dutch court has reached a conclusion different from that of the German Federal Court of Justice (BGH), which denied copyright protection for Birkenstock sandals last year. The company noted that in November 2025, the District Court of Midden-Nederland ordered shoe retailer Scapino to cease selling Birkenstock lookalikes. That judgment is currently under appeal.
Birkenstock said in its statement, “Birkenstock will continue to defend its rights vigorously and will use all available legal means to combat imitations of its iconic products.To protect its retail partners and consumers, Birkenstock will continue to take decisive action against copycats seeking to profit from the company’s creative ideas and innovations. The message is clear: Copycats must not be allowed to free-ride on Birkenstock’s creativity and innovation.”
Image courtesy Birkenstock
