A federal judge in Illinois partially sided with a company that designs and manufactures promotional retail display solutions, entering summary judgment in its favor for claims of direct infringement against Campbell’s Soup Co., and grocery store chains.

U.S. District Judge Georgia N. Alexakis for the Northern District of Illinois granted Gamon Plus' summary judgment motion for direct infringement claims against Campbell's and grocery stores like The Kroger Co., and Meijer for allegedly using the plaintiffs’ patented gravity-feed racks that display soup cans. In a Jan 22. opinion, the court determined summary judgment was warranted regarding the direct infringement claim as the defendants’ claims were forfeited because it was their first time arguing that they couldn't be held liable as they didn't physically load the display racks.