The trade body, Comité Champagne, requested the destruction of 2,352 cans of Miller High Life, as its slogan, "The Champagne of Beers," infringes on Champagne's protected designation of origin.
The shipment destined for Germany was intercepted in the Belgian port of Antwerp in February.
- The buyer in Germany did not contest the decision to destroy the cans.
- The
slogan goes against European Union rules, which clarify that goods
infringing a protected designation of origin can be treated as
counterfeit.
- The market for protected geographical designations is worth nearly 75B Euros annually, half of which is in wines.
- Molson
Coors Beverage Co. said it "respects local restrictions" around the
word "Champagne" but remains proud of Miller High Life and its
Milwaukee, Wisc. provenance.
- The
EU has a system of protected geographical designations created to
guarantee the true origin and quality of artisanal food, wine, and
spirits and protect them from imitation.
