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1、考研英语报刊文章阅读及剖析（1） TheEuropeanCourtsideswithLeviStraussinitsbattlewithTesco ITWASarulingthathadconsumersseethingwithangerandmanyafreetradercryingfoul.OnNovember20ththeEuropeanCourtofJusticedecidedthatTesco,aBritishsupermarketchain,shouldnotbeallowedtoimportjeansmadebyAmerica'sLeviStraussfromout
2、sidetheEuropeanUnionandsellthematcut-ratepriceswithoutgettingpermissionfirstfromthejeansmaker.Ironically,therulingisbasedonanEUtrademarkdirectivethatwasdesignedtoprotectlocal,notAmerican,manufacturersfrompricedumping.Theideaisthatanybrand-owningfirmshouldbeallowedtopositionitsgoodsandsegmentits
3、marketsasitseesfit:Levi'sjeans,justlikeGuccihandbags,mustbeallowedtobeexpensive. LeviStrausspersuadedthecourtthat,bysellingitsjeanscheaplyalongsidesoappowderandbananas,Tescowasdestroyingtheimageandsothevalueofitsbrands--whichcouldonlyleadtolessinnovationand,inthelongrun,wouldreduceconsumerchoi
4、ce.ConsumergroupsandTescosaythatLevi'scaseisspecious.ThesupermarketarguesthatitwasjustarbitragingthepricedifferentialbetweenLevi'sjeanssoldinAmericaandEurope--aserviceperformedamilliontimesadayinfinancialmarkets,andonethathasledtorealbenefitsforconsumers.Tescohasbeensellingsome15,000pairsofLevi
5、'sjeansaweek,forabouthalfthepricetheycommandinspecialiststoresapprovedbyLeviStrauss.ChristineCross,Tesco'sheadofglobalnon-foodsourcing,saystherulingrisks"creatingaFortressEuropewithavengeance". Thedebatewillrageon,andhasimplicationswellbeyondcasualclothes(LeviStrausswasjoinedinitslawsuitbyZino
6、Davidoff,aperfumemaker).Thequestionatitsheartisnotwhetherbrandsneedtocontrolhowtheyaresoldtoprotecttheirimage,butwhetheritisthejobofthecourtstohelpthemdothis.Gucci,anItalianclotheslabelwhoseimagewasbeingdestroyedbylooselicensingandover-exposureindiscountstores,saveditselfnotbyresortingtothecour
7、tsbutbyendingcontractswiththird-partysuppliers,controllingitsdistributionbetterandopeningitsownstores.Itisnowhardtofindcut-priceGuccianywhere. BrandexpertsarguethatLeviStrauss,whichhasbeenlosingmarketsharetohipperrivalssuchasDies
