Adidas stumped; iconic three-stripe trademark ruled invalid by EU court

Adidas says court's ruling on Wednesday only affects a particular use of the symbol.

Adidas's three-stripes have been ruled invalid as a trademark by a European Union court which said they lacked a distinctive character recognisable throughout the 28-country bloc.

But the German sporting goods company, whose shares were down 1.3% in a broadly weaker market, said the court's ruling on Wednesday only affects a particular use of the symbol.

The sporting goods industry has seen a rise in trademark and patent disputes as the biggest players try to differentiate their products and justify premium pricing.

High-profile cases have included Adidas clashing with Skechers USA and Nike taking on Puma.

The General Court of the European Union said