中国基金报·2025-10-17 03:41Core Viewpoint - The recent legal dispute between two major players in the dairy industry, Yili and Mengniu, highlights the importance of brand differentiation and innovation over mere imitation in market competition [1][6]. Summary by Sections Legal Dispute - The Jiangsu Provincial High Court upheld the ruling against Mengniu for unfair competition, ordering it to cease its infringing activities and to compensate Yili with 5 million yuan [1][5]. - The case centered around the packaging design of Yili's "Jindian" pure milk, which was upgraded in 2020, establishing a distinctive brand image [3][4]. Packaging Comparison - Yili claimed that Mengniu's "Selected Pasture" pure milk, launched in late 2023, closely mimicked the packaging of "Jindian," leading to consumer confusion [4]. - The court found that while individual elements like green color and pastoral imagery are common in the industry, the overall visual effect created by their combination is legally protected [4][5]. Sales Data - Yili's "Jindian" pure milk generated total sales of 6.458 billion yuan from 2021 to mid-2024, with a market share of 11.33% from May 2023 to May 2024 [5]. - In contrast, Mengniu's "Selected Pasture" had a significantly lower market share of 0.13% during the same period [5]. Financial Performance - For the first half of 2025, Yili reported revenues of 61.777 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 3.49%, while Mengniu's revenues fell to 41.567 billion yuan, a decline of 6.9% [6]. - The financial impact of the 5 million yuan compensation is minimal for both companies, but the ruling emphasizes the need for competition based on brand and innovation rather than imitation [6].