By Luciana Magalhaes and Patricia Vilas Boas
SAO PAULO (Reuters) -A Brazilian subsidiary of China’s ride-hailing company DiDi Global sued Chinese rival Keeta on Monday in a Sao Paulo court alleging trademark infringement and unfair competition, according to court documents seen by Reuters.
The lawsuit comes days after Keeta, which is entering the Brazilian market, sued DiDi’s Brazilian unit, 99, in Brazil, alleging its food delivery app 99Food was trying to restrict restaurants from working with more than two delivery platforms.
In Monday’s lawsuit, 99 accused Keeta, owned by Chinese delivery giant Meituan, of using colors, graphics and font similar to 99’s platform to “catapult its commercial operations” in the Brazilian market.
“The numerous visual similarities … induce undue consumer confusion and the defendants seek to ‘hitch a ride'” on 99’s success, the lawsuit said, requesting the court order Keeta to change its logo.
In a statement to Reuters, Keeta said its logo and colors have been associated with Meituan for over 14 years and Keeta itself for the past three years. 99 declined to comment.
(Reporting by Luciana Magalhaes and Patricia Vilas Boas in Sao Paulo; Editing by Daina Beth Solomon and Cynthia Osterman)
