The Higher Regional Court Düsseldorf decides on the indication of origin “Made in Germany”

The Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf concluded that manufactured goods may only be advertised as “Made in Germany” if all essential manufacturing steps took place in Germany. The decisive factor is whether, in the view of the addressed consumers, the essential value-providing features of the product were generated in Germany. If this is not the case, the use of “Made in Germany” is misleading and therefore not permitted. The motivation of the consumer, i.e. the expectation of a certain level of quality or desire to protect German jobs, does not play any roll.