With the Southern Hemisphere Pink Lady season in swing, the brand's marketing arm has urged buyers not to purchase apples that have misappropriated the name without having the trademark.

Yakima, Washington-based Pink Lady America marketing director Alan Taylor, said it has been a good year for U.S. Pink Lady  growers, with the vast majority marketed with the company's trademark.

"However, it’s not good to now see some fruit being imported into the USA without the benefit of the trademark and those standards which ends up hurting the domestic growers’ efforts," he said.

"To be safe, it’s important that the Pink Lady® trademark name on the apple match the Pink Lady® name on the display - consumers' need to be assured that they are buying true Pink Lady® brand apples that meet their expectations.

"It’s unfair to the grower and the consumer when what’s on the PLU isn’t the same as the signage because it’s not only potentially a quality issue, it may also be a trademark violation. It also is confusing to all who are seeking true Pink Lady® brand apples."

Taylor said it was important that growers and shippers of the brand be protected from those not packing under established quality standards.

"Those not adhering to those standards are taking advantage of those going to the additional effort of marketing quality and that just isn’t right.

"Pink Lady America works hard to help in insuring that this branded apple is meeting all expectations by everyone and especially the end user, the consumer.

"We are asking consumers to join us in standing up for those doing it correctly and not supporting those who aren’t. The brand needs this support to grow and to make more fruit packed to quality standards available to those consumers."

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