Britain’s trade mark registry turned 150 on 1 January 2026. To mark the anniversary, the Intellectual Property Office has opened a public vote to identify the most iconic UK trade mark, past or present, and asked voters to reflect on what makes such marks stand out. The announcement was published on 5 January.
The IPO notes that there are more than 2.5 million trade marks currently protected in the UK. The first UK registration was lodged on New Year’s Day 1876 by brewers Bass & Co, a reference point often cited in histories of modern brand protection.
That milestone followed the Trade Marks Registration Act 1875. From 1876, the then‑Patent Office recorded representations and numbers for marks, a system detailed by The National Archives, which holds the early records including the Bass & Co representation.
Register volumes have expanded significantly in recent years. On 1 January 2021 the IPO created a comparable UK trade mark for every registered EU trade mark, preserving filing and priority dates while recording those rights on the UK register. Government statements ahead of the change indicated almost 1.4 million EU trade marks would be converted at the end of the transition period.
Recent filing activity remains strong. IPO statistics for 2024 report 173,180 trade mark applications and 156,596 registrations, both higher than in 2023, underlining sustained demand for UK protection.
For businesses and brand owners, a UK trade mark confers enforceable rights within the UK, permits use of the ® symbol, and can be sold or licensed. Protection lasts ten years and may be renewed in further ten‑year periods under the Trade Marks Act 1994.
Protection is territorial. Registering in the UK covers the UK and the Isle of Man only; EU‑wide protection must be sought separately through the EUIPO. Comparable UK rights created from EUTMs now operate as independent UK registrations.
The IPO’s anniversary announcement includes the ballot link and explicitly asks the public what makes an iconic trade mark stand out. Responses can be submitted via the online form referenced on the GOV.UK page.