Harris Teeter Parent Company Accuses Lidl Of Trademark Infringement

A supermarket war has broken out in North Carolina. Harris Teeter's parent company is suing newcomer Lidl for trademark infringement.

Kroger, the Cincinnati-based grocer that owns Harris Teeter, is suing Lidl over dueling brand names. This comes just two weeks after the German-based Lidl opened its first stores in North Carolina.

According to the Charlotte Observer, the complaint claims that Lidl's house brand, “Preferred Selection,” bears too close a resemblance to Kroger's “Private Selection” brand. Kroger says Lidl is intentionally misleading its customers into believing there is a relationship between the two companies. 

A Lidl spokesperson said the company can't comment on pending litigation.

Lidl opened its first U.S stores in the Carolinas and Virginia this summer, with plans to have 100 stores open across the East Coast in the next year.

The company is building a regional headquarters in Alamance County.