CHICAGO — The battle between branded and private label may be headed to court after Mondelez International Inc. filed a complaint seeking damages and injunctive relief arising from grocery retailer Aldi Inc.’s use of private label product packaging that Mondelez alleges “blatantly copies and trades upon the valuable reputation and goodwill Mondelez has developed.”

In the complaint filed May 27 in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Mondelez said Aldi’s actions “are likely to deceive and confuse consumers and dilute the distinctive quality of Mondelez’s unique product packaging, and if not stopped, threaten to irreparably harm Mondelez and its valuable brands.”

Specifically, Mondelez has identified seven products that it claims Aldi is infringing upon: Oreo’s, Wheat Thins original crackers, Nutter Butter cookies, Chips Ahoy! cookies, Nilla wafers, Ritz crackers and Premium saltine crackers.

Mondelez noted in the complaint that this is not the first time it has had to enforce its intellectual property rights against Aldi.

“(Aldi) is in the business of selling private label cookie and cracker snacks and has a pattern and practice of selling products in packaging that are unacceptable copies of Mondelez’s trade dress,” Mondelez said in the filing. “Because of this misconduct, Mondelez has a history of enforcing its intellectual property rights against (Aldi). Indeed, Mondelez has contacted (Aldi) on numerous occasions objecting to (Aldi’s) use of confusingly similar packaging and demanding that (Aldi) cease and desist its unlawful infringement. For example, Mondelez previously contacted (Aldi) about copycats of Mondelez’s Oreo cookie design, Teddy Grahams cookies, belVita biscuits, Tate’s Bake Shop cookies and Triscuit crackers. (Aldi) discontinued and/or changed certain of these infringing products in response to Mondelez’s objections.”

In regards to the seven products identified in the latest complaint, Mondelez said Aldi has ignored “reasonable requests,” leaving the company no choice but to bring the trademark and trade dress infringement, dilution, unfair competition and unjust enrichment action.”

“(Aldi) willful infringement must be stopped, and Mondelez is entitled to recover the significant damages it has suffered,” Mondelez said in the complaint.

Aldi did not respond to a request for comment on the complaint.

Batavia, Ill.-based Aldi in February said it plans to open more than 225 new stores in 2025, which would push its total store count to more than 2,600 in the United States.