News Room

FMI Commends White House Task Force on High-Tech Patent Issues

June 4, 2013
June 4, 2013 - ARLINGTON, VA – Encouraged by the efforts of the White House to issue a series of executive orders and propose legislative recommendations that will further protect businesses from Patent Assertion Entities (PAEs), Food Marketing Institute (FMI) released the following statement from FMI Regulatory Counsel Erik Lieberman: 

“The grocery industry applauds the Administration’s efforts to increase transparency in the patent system and increase protections for entrepreneurs from PAEs, a.k.a. patent trolls. It is our hope that these measures will serve to reduce the tens of billions of dollars trolls cost our economy every year and free up these resources to be used for innovation and job creation. 

“Patent trolls pose an increasing threat to supermarket retailers and we are heartened that the President is taking major steps to address the enormous burden they are imposing on businesses, and ultimately, consumers.”

The White House fact sheet can be accessed here.

Food Marketing Institute proudly advocates on behalf of the food retail industry. FMI’s U.S. members operate nearly 40,000 retail food stores and 25,000 pharmacies, representing a combined annual sales volume of almost $770 billion. Through programs in public affairs, food safety, research, education and industry relations, FMI offers resources and provides valuable benefits to more than 1,225 food retail and wholesale member companies in the United States and around the world. FMI membership covers the spectrum of diverse venues where food is sold, including single owner grocery stores, large multi-store supermarket chains and mixed retail stores. For more information, visit www.fmi.org and for information regarding the FMI foundation, visit www.fmifoundation.org

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