The 12^th and 13^th June sees Fife share the excitement of playing host to the Olympic Torch Relay. The route, which was devised by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), can be viewed in full on the official London 2012 website at www.london2012.com/olympictorchrelay.

Celebratory activities, such as local people making up their own flags with images of the Olympic Rings or Torch are being encouraged, but LOCOG are keen to ensure that traders do not attempt to gain commercial benefit or promote their business on the back of the Relay without permission to do so. 

Trading Standards officers in Fife are working closely with the relevant authorities to advise that in the UK, the commercial use of any of the Games' Marks (or any other marks or logos that are confusingly similar to or likely to be mistaken for them), is only permitted with the authorisation of LOCOG, which is generally only reserved for official sponsors and licensees. The Games' Marks are legally protected by a combination of registered trademarks, copyright, registered community designs, and common law.

Fife Council Trading Standards Service Manager Alan Hamilton explains, “The Olympic and Paralympic brands are incredibly powerful and well known. They evoke the emotion, excitement and values of the Games. Everyone, including local traders and businesses can help support London 2012 by understanding and respecting the need to protect the brand, and by not using the brand or otherwise creating an association with the games unless they are entitled to do so.

Alan continues, “On the relay route, as with most big public events in Fife, a number of Trading Standards officers will be in attendance to deal with potential breaches of fair trading legislation, and we have also been asked to assist LOCOG where necessary during the event. We fully expect however, with a little common sense applied, that this will merely be a safeguard measure on what should be two great days of celebration in Fife.”

For full information on brand protection issues relating to the Olympic Games and the Torch Relay please visit www.london2012.com/brandprotection. You can also contact the Trading Standards Team on 01592 583141 for further clarification on what you can and can’t do.

Visit www.fifedirect.org.uk/olympictorchrelayto keep up to date with Olympic themed events in your community.