A UK cannabis cannabis retailer is being sued by Deliveroo for "copying" its branding.
Incredibly called "Dispenseroo," the founder of the UK's "largest" online cannabis dispensary, claims to have developed a method for sending THC buds, pre-rolls, hash, and edibles to consumers who freely order on the open internet.
The website is obviously set up like your usual internet store, but it's targeted at people who want to relax by firing one up.
Forget about covert meetings and throwaway phones. Here, customers can purportedly add weed-related goods and accessories to their shopping carts "safely" and are welcomed with the promise of free shipping and customer support.
The brand's founder, who goes by the alias "S" for obvious reasons, claims to be making £25,000 in sales each day and is using their website to push for the legalisation of cannabis in the UK.
Related Article: 11 year old boy seizure free thanks to cannabis.
However, the food delivery brand was earlier this week notified that the weed brand may need to give up its domain name since the takeaway company claims it is violating its trademark.
In order to safeguard its trademarks and reputation, Deliveroo said in a statement that the company has filed a complaint to request the transfer of the domain names associated with "Dispenseroo" to Deliveroo.
The following was stated: "We have filed a complaint with the World Intellectual Property Organization and the registrant of Dispenseroo's website due to the clear and substantial imitation of our brand.
Related Article: First time cannabis and cocaine users will not be prosecuted under plans.
Before the legal move, the founder of Dispenseroo told LADbible that Deliveroo "can't do s***" because the names of the two companies are so similar.
Because their brand name is derived from the word "kangaroo," he asserted, "I mean, they can't do s*** because they don't possess the copyrights or trademarks in respect to the root elements.
So they failed. They really and genuinely took a "L" because they don't copyright that colour scheme or that open-source font, according to the founder of Dispenseroo.
The company, however, thinks that they are taking a statement with their brand despite the consequences they are currently facing, including the very real prospect of up to 14 years in prison and an unlimited fine for the company's founder for distributing cannabis.
'S' informed us that the main goal of Dispenseroo is to function as a campaign. "We want to launch a massive campaign where we help individuals get the cannabis-based treatments they require.
"However, we remain steadfast in our purpose and convictions. Social movements of any kind have been scrutinised throughout history, and we believe that cannabis should be legalised for both medical and recreational purposes.
"I guess you have to do something to make a standpoint,"
As a result, the seller could have to give Deliveroo the domain name.
The founder of Dispenseroo, who identifies himself as a "weed-smoking Londoner in his 20s with a background in advertising and logistics start-ups," however, appeared to have no plan of doing so when chatting to Vice World News under a pseudonym.
According to them, Deliveroo's antagonistic claims to this name—which they derived from the word "kangaroo"—are ridiculous, they told the publication.
"We get several messages from consumers on a daily basis about how much they depend on us and how much convenience we have given them. We have all gathered around the beauty of bud to fight for a cause we firmly believe in, despite the legal obstacles we already face because to the outdated cannabis regulations in the UK.
"We think that the battle we are having with Deliveroo is just another obstacle we must clear."
Additionally, they assert that they are the global owners of "several domain names" for Dispenseroo.
The high-profile campaign, according to cannabis activists in the UK, shows the 'great demand' for cannabis in the country as well as how 'ineffective' and 'futile' official prohibition efforts are.
"It's absurd that our government spends £500 million every year attempting to enforce its cannabis embargo and yet a website like this can set up and market itself like this," said Peter Reynolds, founder and chair of CLEAR and a member of the UK Cannabis Industry Council (CIC) executive committee.