Beleaguered UK electricals chain Comet has vowed to fight claims that it breached copyright laws after software giant Microsoft accused it of creating and selling counterfeit Windows and Vista recovery CDs.
Microsoft’s lawsuit relates to Comet selling more than 94,000 discs, which enable users to reinstall software they had purchased with computers, for £14.99 each between March 2008 and December 2009.
But Comet, which is in the process of being sold for £2 to investment firm Opcapita, has rejected the accusations and said it has “a good defence to the claim and will defend its position vigorously”.
The retailer used a third-party manufacturer to produce the discs at a factory in Hampshire.
David Finn, the associate general counsel for worldwide anti-piracy and anti-counterfeiting at Microsoft, said: “Comet produced and sold thousands of counterfeit Windows CDs to unsuspecting customers in the UK. Comet’s actions were unfair to customers.”
It is understood that Opcapita, which is expected to complete its acquisition of Comet early next month, was aware of the lawsuit during its due diligence.
Comet said it had “sought and received legal advice from leading counsel to support its view that the production of recovery discs did not infringe Microsoft’s intellectual property”.
