Two companies wrestle with rights to 'ziploc'SHERYN CLOTHIER A plastic bag has more uses than even a lawyer could imagine, including making a mini glasshouse to protect a fig while it ripens. The question of who has bags on the legal rights to the word "ziploc" in New Zealand has been handed back to the trademark authorities. The two contenders, S C Johnson & Son and International Consolidated Business, have passed it back and forth since 1974 in relation to re-sealable plastic bags, film, and containers. The trademark commissioner said Johnson's application had to fail because it was not the legal owner of the trademark when it made the application. The commissioner had been wrong to accept that ICB had the best evidence of having used the ziploc trademark, the judge said.

Source: Stuff December 20, 2017 02:48 UTC