Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop site accused of infringing ‘diet detective’ mark

Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle website Goop.com has been sued by celebrity nutritionist Charles Platkin, who said the site used his ‘diet detective’ moniker without permission.

According to the complaint, filed at the US District Court for the Southern District of New York on August 20, Goop used the term ‘diet detective’ in the subject line of its weekly email newsletter blast.

The blast said: “Today on goop: Diet Detective|Nutritionist Kelly Dorfman takes the mystery out of what might be plaguing our systems-and presents a programme for picky eaters”. Kelly Dorfman uses the Twitter handle @NutritionSleuth.

The complaint said that the content was also shared on Facebook.

Platkin, who holds several trademarks for the term ‘diet detective’ and operates a fitness column and website with the name, has claimed for trademark infringement and dilution.

He said that he had been “grievously injured” by the infringements, which were “undertaken without [his] permission … in a manner that dilutes and tarnishes the valuable image associated with [his] marks, brand, work and intellectual property”.

Goop has ignored requests to remove the infringing usage of the mark.

According to the complaint, an internet search for “diet detective” conducted on July 19 using search engine Bing listed the original title used by the defendant in July, and, by August 5, the phrase “diet detective” was still visible on the Goop site.

A Google search for the phrase on August 18 listed the modified title, which it says still featured “diet detective”. The plaintiff found that Goop continued to use “diet detective” in its source code, so it would still appear in internet searches.

Platkin has asked for a permanent and preliminary injunction to stop Goop from using the ‘diet detective’ mark, and for treble damages.