4.1 Factors to consider

When determining whether concerns should be raised under section 32(2) of the Act, examiners should consider the circumstances of the particular case. Examiners should ask: “is it commercially realistic that the mark will be used in relation to the wide range of goods and/or services specified in the application?”

In answering this question examiners should take into account the applicant themselves and the types of goods and services in which the applicant is known to trade. For example, a large company may be more likely to provide a wide range of goods or services than a smaller company. Each case must be considered on its merits, however, large companies should not automatically be granted wider rights than smaller applicants.

It may be helpful to check whether the applicant has previous registrations for a similarly wide specification. However, as stated above, each case must be considered on its merits. The fact that an applicant has a previous registration with a wide specification should not automatically be taken as justification for allowing a later application to proceed with a similarly wide specification.