Costa Rican Supermarket Wins Trademark Fight Against Nintendo Over "Super Mario" Name

Nintendo suffers a setback in a trademark dispute with a Costa Rican supermarket, "Súper Mario." The supermarket successfully defended its trademark, arguing the name was a genuine combination of its business type and its manager's name, Mario. This counters Nintendo's claim of trademark infringement on their globally recognized Super Mario brand.

The legal battle began with a 2013 trademark registration by the supermarket's owner's son, Charito. Nintendo challenged the renewal in 2024. However, the supermarket's legal team, led by Jose Edgardo Jimenez Blanco, successfully argued the name wasn't intended to capitalize on Nintendo's intellectual property.

Charito expressed gratitude to his legal team, stating they nearly conceded defeat before ultimately prevailing. The ruling underscores the complexities of international trademark law and the challenges faced by large corporations in protecting their intellectual property against smaller businesses with legitimate claims. While Nintendo holds exclusive rights to the Super Mario trademark in many countries across various product categories, this case demonstrates that even established brands can face unexpected legal hurdles. The supermarket's straightforward use of the name, clearly linked to its business and manager, proved sufficient to defend against the claim.