CHICAGO _ For the second time in six months, Chicago-based Wrigley is suing a vape manufacturer for marketing flavored liquids used in electronic cigarettes that it says sound too much like its confectionery products.
The trademark infringement lawsuit, filed this week in U.S. District Court in Chicago, alleges Florida-based Get Wrecked Juices is irreparably damaging Wrigley by selling "Pink Starburst" and "Skeetlez" vape flavors on its website.
Starburst is a Wrigley brand, while Skeetlez is "confusingly similar" to its Skittles brand, the lawsuit alleges.
"The use of popular candy brands in the marketing, sales and promotion of e-cigarettes is deceptive and irresponsible," Wrigley spokeswoman Caitlin Kemper said Thursday in an emailed statement. "We strongly condemn these actions, which are directly at odds with our anti-tobacco policy and our strict marketing standards."
Wrigley sues suburban vape firm that sells 'Dbl Mint' and 'Joosy Fruit' flavors, alleges trademark infringement �
Efforts to reach a representative from Get Wrecked Juices were unsuccessful.
Wrigley filed a similar trademark infringement lawsuit in July against a suburban Chicago manufacturer, Chi-Town Vapers, for selling "Dbl Mint" and "Joosy Fruit" e-cigarette liquids online and at its Bensenville retail location.
The lawsuit was settled in September with an agreement that Chi-Town Vapers would cease all sales, destroy all product, and pay Wrigley damages and any profits obtained from selling the misappropriated brands.
Wrigley is seeking similar relief in the lawsuit against Get Wrecked Juices.
By Thursday, Pink Starburst and Skeetlez were apparently scrubbed from the Get Wrecked website, but several flavors with names similar to other food-makers' brands remained, including "Butahfingah," "Chips, Oh Boy!" and "Corn Poops."
