Sweden’s Nelly Group, a listed online fashion retailer in the Nordic region, has appealed against the recent ruling in its legal dispute with Chinese fashion giant Shein.
The case began in 2023 when Nelly discovered that Shein had used more than 30 of the company’s product images without permission. Although Shein removed the images after a request, copyright-infringing motifs later resurfaced.
The Swedish Patent and Market Court in Stockholm confirmed that Shein had infringed Nelly’s copyright, but, according to Nelly, at the same time ordered that Nelly had to bear a significant part of Shein’s legal costs.
With the appeal, Nelly wants to clarify the question of the distribution of responsibility within the Shein Group, the proportionality of the judgment and measures to prevent future violations.
“It’s a fundamental concern for us. We want to help clarify the responsibility of global e-commerce companies in the European market – so that everyone plays by the same rules and operates under equal competitive conditions. With the appointment, we also want to set an example and encourage other companies to take action if their rights are violated. Global online trade is developing rapidly, and legislation must keep pace in order to ensure fair and transparent competition guarantee,” explains Helena Karlinder-Östlundh, CEO of the Nelly Group.