EasyGroup has been defeated in a High Court trademark dispute against two footwear businesses that incorporate the word "easy" in their branding.
The legal challenge, initiated by easyGroup, targeted Estonian firm Easyfeetstore and American company Easyfeet Inc, both of which specialise in orthopaedic and orthotic insoles.
Andriy Klishyn, a shareholder in Easyfeetstore and director of Easyfeet Inc, was also named in the action.
Lawyers representing easyGroup, which is owned by Greek Cypriot businessman Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, argued during a two-day trial in February that the footwear companies had infringed seven of its trademarks, including the prominent easyJet brand.
They further contended that Mr Klishyn bore joint responsibility and that Easyfeetstore’s trademark for “easyfeet” was invalid.
However, the footwear companies successfully defended the legal proceedings in London. Mr Klishyn told the court that consumers purchasing insoles would not mistake them for products associated with easyGroup.
In a ruling on Wednesday, Judge Richard Hacon dismissed the claim, finding that the word “easy” was “the only similarity” between the trademarks and the footwear companies’ signs and that there was “no likelihood” of customers being confused.
He said: “I have found that there is no relevant similarity between any of the seven trade marks and either of the defendants’ signs and, in the case of six out of the seven trademarks, no similarities in goods or services.”
The judge continued that easyGroup had not suffered “detriment” and that there was no “unfair advantage”.
As of last March, easyGroup has more than 380 “easy” branded business ventures and websites within its portfolio, including easyJet, easyBus and easyHotel.
The group has been involved in several High Court trademark disputes with rival companies with “easy” in their names, with Judge Hacon saying in his ruling that it “seems to be doing all it can to prevent the use of ‘easy’ signs without its licence”.
In August 2025, easyGroup also lost a legal battle with hotel chain Premier Inn over the latter’s use of the phrase “rest easy”.
Following the judgment, an easyGroup spokesperson said: “We strongly believe that this judgment is wrong because it undermines the ability of owners of famous families of brands, such as the easy family of brands, to protect consumers from confusion.
“The other side wants consumers to believe that they have something to do with the official easy family of brands when they do not.
“We will appeal and will overturn it, as we have done many times in the past.”
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