This isn’t the first time Mr Price finds itself at the centre of copyright debates.
You know when Mr Price starts trending on Twitter, it’s going to be a goodie.
This time, a specific tweet had online users debating the pitfalls of big brands ripping off smaller companies with copyright infringement.
When Daniel Marven had tweeted a picture of a sneaker that looks similar to that of local South African brand Bathu’s designs with the caption: “Mr Price what Bathu Athletic shoe is this one, then you expect our black business to grow,” it was the catalyst for others to jump on-board and voice their opinions.
The activist and influencer had tagged both Mr Price Sport and Bathu.
Bathu is a local South African brand owned by Theo Baloyi who wanted to create an authentic African sneaker when he envisioned his dream.
Baloyi’s success story is a relatable one, making the brand one of the most sought-after companies to collaborate with.
And because of this, many tweeps immediately defended it.
“No they didn’t!!! Haybo! This is brand infringement and he needs to take them on,” one tweep said.
Another argued that “this is what Zara does with most brands.”
After the considerable uproar, Mr Price jumped into the mentions and set the record straight with saying: “Hello there, Thank you so much for bringing this to our attention. We can confirm that the shoes and marketing information displayed above is not from Mr Price or any of our stores.
“This image is in no way affiliated with us and our current sneaker line-up.”
This isn’t the first time Mr Price finds itself at the centre of copyright debates. The local clothing brand is known for releasing more affordable “versions” of designs many of us cannot afford.
Most of the time, customers welcome the new additions, while some have noted that even for them, Mr P prices are starting to show a sharp increase.
When they released their collection of comfy wear, similar to that of Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS range, customers questioned whether it was worth purchasing – with the price of a crop top starting at R139.99 and the most expensive being the cosy cardigan going for R299.99.
“If Mr Price is increasing prices can we find another cheap clothing store. I really didn’t expect this from them, I thought they had our backs and understood their target market,” said one tweep.
Another said: “If Mr Price wants to charge us Zara prices, they have to produce Zara quality otherwise, can they please stick to their normal prices.”
