Pressemitteilung
BRITA wins UPC patent dispute with Meissner Bolte against Polish filter cartridge manufacturer Wessper
Munich, 21 April 2026: BRITA SE, the global market leader in drinking water filters, has successfully prevailed against the Polish filter cartridge manufacturer Wessper in infringement proceedings concerning European patent EP 1 748 830 before the Düsseldorf Local Division of the Unified Patent Court (UPC). The decision is not yet final and may be challenged by way of appeal.
In December 2024, BRITA had brought an infringement action before the Düsseldorf Local Court for indirect infringement of EP 1 748 830. The subject matter of the proceedings was filter cartridges distributed by Wessper that are compatible with BRITA’s drinking water jugs. As the patent expired during the proceedings, BRITA subsequently asserted claims for information and accounting in particular.
In its decision of 16 April 2026, the Düsseldorf Local Division found Wessper guilty of indirect infringement of EP 1 748 830 (Case No.: UPC_CFI_779/2024). The UPC’s landmark decision is of great significance beyond the scope of this case. In the headnotes of the judgment, the Local Division clarifies, amongst other things, the case law on indirect patent infringement under Article 26 of the UPCA and on the issue of exhaustion under Article 29 of the UPCA. The defence of exhaustion in cases of indirect infringement is central to the question of when a patent proprietor can take action against a patent infringer for indirect patent infringement in connection with a spare part, or whether the use of a spare part as intended is patent-free and therefore permissible.
With a total turnover of 727 million Euro in the 2024 financial year and approximately 2,400 employees, the BRITA Group is one of the leading international companies in drinking water optimisation. The long-established BRITA brand holds a leading position in the global water filter market. The family-owned company, based in Taunusstein, Germany, is represented worldwide in 70 countries through 27 national and international subsidiaries and operating sites, as well as through shareholdings, distribution and industrial partners. It operates five production sites in Germany, the UK, Italy and China.
In the UPC proceedings, BRITA was advised and represented by a team of patent and legal counsel from the law firm Meissner Bolte in Munich, led by lawyer Andreas Kabisch and patent attorney Dr Jasper C. Werhahn. Lawyer Niels Schuh and patent attorney Constantijn van Lookeren Campagne also acted on behalf of BRITA in the proceedings. Wessper was represented in the proceedings by a team from the law firm Harmsen Utescher in Hamburg, led by Dr Karsten Königer.
Representative in infringement proceedings at the Düsseldorf Local Division of the UPC
Representative for the BRITA Group
Meissner Bolte Patentanwälte Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaft mbB
Andreas Kabisch, Lawyer, European Patent Litigator, Partner (Co-Lead Patent Litigation)
Dr Jasper C. Werhahn, Patent Attorney, European Patent Litigator, Partner (Co-Lead Patent Litigation)
Niels Schuh, Lawyer, European Patent Litigator (Patent Litigation)
Constantijn van Lookeren Campagne, Patent Attorney, European Patent Litigator (Patent Litigation)
Representative of Wessper Sp. z o.o.
Harmsen Utescher Rechtsanwaltspartnerschaft mbB, Hamburg
Dr Jonas Thelemann, Lawyer, Partner (Lead Patent Litigation)
Düsseldorf Local Division of the UPC
Presiding Judge Ronny Thomas
Legally qualified Judge Dr Jule Kathrin Schumacher
Legally qualified Judge Mojca Mlakar
Contact
Andreas Kabisch
Lawyer, European Patent Litigator, Partner
Meissner Bolte Patentanwälte Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaft mbB
phone: +49 (89) 21 21 86-0 | mail: [email protected]
Dr. rer. nat., Dipl.-Phys. Jasper Werhahn
European Patent Attorney, European Patent Litigator, Partner
Meissner Bolte Patentanwälte Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaft mbB
phone: +49 (89) 21 21 86-0 | mail: [email protected]
Press contact:
Matthias Struwe
Eye Communications, Agency for Press and Public Relations
phone: +49 (7 61) 137 62-21 | mail: [email protected]
About Meissner Bolte
Meissner Bolte is a fully integrated IP boutique offering legal services in all areas of intellectual property. Meissner Bolte is one of Germany's leading law firms in the fields of patent law, trademark law, design law, and competition law. For many years, the firm has been one of the leading applicants for patents, European trademarks, and designs, as well as one of the leading national representatives for European trademarks, international applications, and designs at the EUIPO. With a total of 350 employees in eleven offices throughout Germany and one office in the UK, Meissner Bolte is able to handle trademark and design portfolios of any size and also conduct complex, cross-border trademark and design infringement proceedings.
For more information about Meissner Bolte, visit www.mb.de.