A wealth of chemical innovation – and accompanying intellectual property – underlies many of the products in the average fridge, kitchen cupboard, or bathroom cabinet.

Patentable developments in these sectors include developments relating to flavours, fragrances, and formulations, to name but a few, as well as improvements in manufacturing processes. Current key drivers of innovation in these sectors include an increased focus on health, wellness, and ‘clean living’ and the crucial importance of ‘green’ technology to ensure a sustainable future.

These markets are often very crowded. Innovation may not always seem ‘revolutionary’ in nature but rather occurs incrementally, as a series of small improvements. With careful drafting, however, commercially valuable IP protection can still be obtained, even for modest-seeming enhancements to an existing product.

In these high-value and competitive sectors, it is important for companies to navigate carefully the challenges of protecting their own innovation while avoiding pitfalls associated with competitors’ IP. Our specialist team of chemistry patent attorneys has the expertise and experience to help address these challenges.

The team has substantial experience of obtaining, defending and advising on patents in the consumer products and food and beverage sectors. We have considerable expertise in opposition & appeals before the European Patent Office, both defending patents granted to our clients and opposing patents granted to our clients’ competitors. We can advise on competitors’ IP and on how to mitigate any associated risks.

Our patent attorneys work closely with our specialist legal team who are well placed to advise on utilising trade secrets and know-how, as well as on negotiations, contracts and litigation in this sector.