Greek sues Swedish dairy for mistaking his nationality

Apr 9, 2010, 15:40 GMT

Stockholm - A small Swedish dairy is in a pickle over the use of a photo on its yoghurt packaging, a spokesman for the dairy said Friday.

A Greek man has sued family-owned dairy Lindahls Mejeri for 50 million kronor (6.9 million dollars) after it used his image on a package for the company's Turkish yoghurt.

'The sum is preposterous,' Thomas Axelson, purchasing manager for the dairy, told the German Press Agency dpa.

Axelson noted that the sum roughly equalled the annual sales of all the yoghurt the company sells.

'The case dates some while back,' Axelson said, adding that it was being handled by lawyers in Greece. Talks began some eight months ago.

The dairy says that it had a deal with a photo agency to use its photos for its products.

The man in the photo did not apparently have an agreement with the photographer, but Axelson said the case of mistaken nationality was also a factor behind his decision to sue.

The bearded Greek was apparently alerted to his appearance on the yoghurt packaging by an acquaintance who lives in Stockholm, Swedish radio reported.