EAST COAST PODIATRY CENTRE PTE. LTD. v FAMILY PODIATRY CENTRE PTE. LTD.

[2025] SGCA 28 Court of Appeal 19 June 2025 • CA/CA 57/2024 • 60 min read

14 cases cited (10 SG, 4 foreign)

Catchwords

Intellectual Property — Trade marks and trade names — Infringement — Internet usage

Practice Areas

Intellectual Property

Judges (3)

Andrew Phang Boon Leong Coram Steven Chong Coram Sundaresh Menon Delivered

Counsel (11)

Faculty of Law, Singapore Management University Firm Hin Tat Augustine & Partners Firm RCL Chambers Law Corporation Firm Ravindran Associates LLP Firm Chan Wenqiang Counsel Appellant Choo Zheng Xi Counsel Appellant Donaven Foo Counsel Appellant Elizabeth Anne Shuet Yan Boey Counsel Respondent Gordon Ionwy David Llewelyn Counsel Third Party Mohamed Zikri bin Mohamed Muzammil Counsel Respondent Stella Ng Yu Xin Counsel Appellant

Parties (2)

East Coast Podiatry Centre Pte Ltd Appellant Family Podiatry Centre Pte Ltd Respondent

Case Significance

[2025] SGCA 28 is a Court of Appeal decision dated 19 June 2025 concerning Intellectual Property, specifically addressing trade marks and trade names. The judgment was delivered by Sundaresh Menon, with Andrew Phang Boon Leong and Steven Chong on the coram. The case was brought by East Coast Podiatry Centre Pte Ltd (appellant) against Family Podiatry Centre Pte Ltd (respondent). Legal representation was provided by RCL Chambers Law Corporation and Hin Tat Augustine & Partners. The judgment cites 14 cases (10 Singapore, 4 foreign) and references 1 statutory provision, namely the Trade Marks Act.

Summary

East Coast Podiatry Centre sued Family Podiatry Centre for trade mark infringement over the respondent's use of phrases such as 'east coast podiatry' and 'Podiatrist East Coast' in Google Ads internet advertisements. The key issue was whether the respondent's use of these signs in sponsored search results infringed the appellant's registered composite mark under the Trade Marks Act. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, finding no trade mark infringement in the respondent's use of the signs in internet advertising.

What was decided in [2025] SGCA 28?

[2025] SGCA 28 (EAST COAST PODIATRY CENTRE PTE. LTD. v FAMILY PODIATRY CENTRE PTE. LTD.) is a Court of Appeal decision from 19 June 2025 addressing Intellectual Property, specifically trade marks and trade names. The judgment was delivered by Sundaresh Menon.

Who were the parties in EAST COAST PODIATRY CENTRE PTE. LTD. v FAMILY PODIATRY CENTRE PTE. LTD.?

The appellant in [2025] SGCA 28 was East Coast Podiatry Centre Pte Ltd, and the respondent was Family Podiatry Centre Pte Ltd. Legal representation included Hin Tat Augustine & Partners and Faculty of Law, Singapore Management University. The case was decided on 19 June 2025 in the Court of Appeal.

Which judge decided [2025] SGCA 28?

[2025] SGCA 28 was delivered by Sundaresh Menon in the Court of Appeal on 19 June 2025. Andrew Phang Boon Leong and Steven Chong also sat on the coram. The case concerned Intellectual Property.

What cases and statutes does [2025] SGCA 28 cite?

[2025] SGCA 28 cites 14 prior decisions, including 4 from foreign jurisdictions. It references Trade Marks Act.

Statutes Cited

Trade Marks Act (Cap 332)

Cases Cited (14)

SG (2)

[2023] SGHC 156 [2024] SGHC 102

SLR (8)

[2000] 2 SLR(R) 214 [2006] 1 SLR(R) 712 [2006] 2 SLR(R) 690 [2010] 1 SLR 382 [2013] 2 SLR 941 [2014] 1 SLR 911 [2017] 2 SLR 308 [2019] 1 SLR 536

UK (4)

[2003] 1 WLR 1736 [2003] 3 WLR 450 [2003] Ch 454 [2023] EWHC 2038

Judgment

Read the full judgment on the official Singapore Courts portal.

Read on eLitigation

Source: eLitigation ([2025] SGCA 28)