TK Maxx owner in dispute with Mike Ashley over Brand Max name

The owner of discount chain TK Maxx has accused retail tycoon Mike Ashley of breaching its trademarks with his new discount chain Brand Max.

Brand Max was launched this autumn offering discounts on branded fashion and homeware products via its website and 18 outlets around the UK and Ireland.

Brand Max: 18 UK and Ireland stores

According to The Sunday Times, TJX International, has accused Mike Ashley's Sports Direct of trying to "ride on the coat-tails" of TK Maxx's reputation and brand name. TJX also operates discount homewares chain Homesense.

TJX has lodged its complaint at the High Court and asserts that a significant number of consumers could be confused by the similarities in the respective brands' names, though the logos are very different. 

There are 337 TK Maxx stores and 53 Homesense stores in the UK. The US retailer operates as TJ Maxx in its home market but was obliged to change its name when it entered the UK to avoid confusion with TJ Hughes, a Liverpool-based discount department stores, which operates 20 stores around the UK.