Adidas Takes On Wal-Mart

Adidas America Inc. and its German parent company have sued WalMart Stores Inc., claiming the nation’s largest retailer is selling counterfeit Adidas shoes.

In a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Portland, Adidas claims Wal-Mart is selling inferior “knockoff” shoes displaying the three-stripe Adidas trademark.

Adidas America officials said it was risky to take on Wal-Mart, with more than $82 billion in sales and 5,000 stores, but the athletic shoe maker could not afford the damage to its reputation.