UKIPO Upholds McDonald’s Family of Marks Against McHug Bid

The UK Intellectual Property Office has ruled in favour of McDonald’s in opposition proceedings against an application by Nigel McHugh to register “The McHug or The McHug Burger” for food and drink services. The hearing officer found that McDonald’s enjoyed a strong reputation in its core marks and that the relevant public would recognise its established “Mc-” family of marks as sharing a common commercial origin. The applied-for mark was held likely to create a link with that family, giving rise to unfair advantage. The opposition also succeeded on bad faith grounds, as evidence showed the application was filed with the intention of approaching McDonald’s to propose a collaboration or new menu item rather than for any genuine independent commercial use. The decision, issued in May 2026, confirms that trade mark filings must serve legitimate business purposes and that a consistent prefix can support protection for a family of marks when backed by extensive use.

Small-business owners should file trade marks only for genuine commercial plans, not to leverage negotiations with larger brands.