Tesco and Next are at loggerheads following claims by the clothing retailer Next that Tesco infringed its design rights.

Next claims Tesco copied up to five separate clothing lines, including shorts, trousers, sandals and shoes, and lifted two design motifs, according to the Sunday Telegraph.

Tesco, which has denied the charges, has launched a counterclaim alleging Next sent it four “unjustified” threatening letters late last year and early this year.

“As a significant owner of intellectual property ourselves, we take any claim of infringement extremely seriously,” a spokesman for Tesco said. “However, as this is an ongoing legal matter we are unable to comment further.”

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