Croatia Astrid Lindgren's heirs sue against "Pipi" limo
The descendants of the great Swedish children's author Astrid Lindgren are taking legal action against a Croatian company that sells a soft drink called "Pipi". The Astrid Lindgren AB of the children and grandchildren of the author, who died in 2002, has filed a lawsuit for trademark infringement against the company, which has obtained a trademark registration in Sweden, as Lindgren's grandson Olle Nyman confirmed to the German Press Agency.
22.10.2025, 18:50
SDA
"Pippi Longstocking belongs to all children - but nobody has the right to exploit her name for their own gain," Nyman said. "We defend Astrid Lindgren's stories so that they can continue to spread courage, comfort and joy to children all over the world - generation after generation."
High risk of confusion
The Swedish local newspaper "Vimmerby Tidning" had previously reported on the lawsuit. "If someone uses the name Pippi in a commercial context without our permission and also associates it with Astrid Lindgren's Pippi Longstocking, we are obliged to take action," Nyman was quoted as saying by the newspaper. The risk of confusion is great.
According to "Vimmerby Tidning", the company behind "Pipi" is called OSTRC. It applied for a trademark registration in Sweden a few years ago - until then, the Lindgren descendants had not even known about the drink. When asked by dpa, the company did not initially comment on the Swedes' move.
On the market in Croatia since 1971
According to the drink's website, "Pipi" has been around since 1971, stating that the soft drink was named after the famous Pippi Longstocking invented by Astrid Lindgren. The emblem on the bottles initially showed a blonde girl, whose pigtails inevitably brought Pippi Longstocking to mind, and for some years now a blonde young woman.
Astrid Lindgren AB is owned by the children and grandchildren of the children's book author. The Stockholm-based company has set itself the goal of disseminating and protecting Lindgren's work worldwide. Olle Nyman is responsible for legal matters within the company.
