26 MAY 1972 HUGIN GB REPUDIATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH LIPTONS . HUGIN GB THEREAFTER CHANGED ITS NAME TO CENTURY CASH REGISTERS LTD AND HAS BECOME A NON-TRADING COMPANY .
HUGIN UK HOWEVER CONTINUED TO SUPPLY LIPTONS WITH CASH REGISTERS AND SPARE PARTS IT REQUIRED FOR ITS SEPARATE BUSINESS IN THE SERVICE , REPAIR AND RECONDITIONING OF HUGIN CASH REGISTERS .
BETWEEN 1 MAY 1972 AND 23 OCTOBER 1972 HUGIN UK SUPPLIED LIPTONS WITH CASH REGISTERS AND SPARE PARTS TO THE VALUE OF POUND ST . 25 970.64 OF WHICH THE VALUE OF THE SPARE PARTS WAS POUND ST . 1 031.44 .
E . THE REFUSAL TO SUPPLY SPARE PARTS
FROM 23 OCTOBER 1972 HUGIN UK REFUSED TO SUPPLY LIPTONS WITH ANY MORE CASH REGISTERS AT WHOLESALE PRICE OR ANY SPARE PARTS OTHER THAN MINOR PARTS NOT RELATED TO MAINTENANCE OR REPAIR , SUCH AS KEYS , HANDLES AND PINS , WHICH THE OPERATOR OF THE MACHINE CAN INSTALL HIMSELF AND WHICH WERE ALSO SOLD AT THE RETAIL PRICE .
ON 31 OCTOBER 1972 LIPTONS COMMENCED PROCEEDINGS IN THE HIGH COURT IN LONDON AGAINST HUGIN GB FOR BREACH OF THE CONTRACT MADE IN 1969 . THIS DECISION IS , HOWEVER , NOT CONCERNED WITH THE MERITS OF THE LITIGATION BETWEEN THE PARTIES IN SO FAR AS THEY RELATE PURELY TO MATTERS OF DOMESTIC LAW WHICH FALL WITHIN THE PROVINCE OF THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE IN ENGLAND TO RESOLVE .
FOLLOWING THE REFUSAL BY HUGIN UK TO SUPPLY LIPTONS WITH SPARE PARTS , LIPTONS ENDEAVOURED BETWEEN FEBRUARY 1973 AND JULY 1975 TO OBTAIN THESE PARTS FROM SOURCES IN OTHER COUNTRIES WITHOUT SUCCESS . NOT ONLY DID HUGIN AB ITSELF REFUSE TO SUPPLY THE PARTS TO LIPTONS DIRECT , REFERRING LIPTONS BACK TO HUGIN UK , BUT SO ALSO DID ITS SUBSIDIARIES IN BELGIUM . FRANCE AND THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH THEN EXISTED IN ITALY STATING THAT THEY WERE NOT PERMITTED TO EXPORT SUCH PRODUCTS . AB ELECTROLUX OF STOCKHOLM , WHICH MANUFACTURES THE MOTORS FOR HUGIN CASH REGISTERS , ALSO REFUSED TO SUPPLY LIPTONS , REFERRING LIPTONS TO HUGIN UK AND TO HUGIN AB . IN ADDITION , AN INDEPENDENT DISTRIBUTOR IN GERMANY STATED THAT IT WAS UNABLE TO SUPPLY THE PARTS AS IT WAS NOT PERMITTED TO EXPORT AND AGAIN REFERRED LIPTONS BACK TO HUGIN UK .
ON 21 JULY 1975 LIPTONS WROTE AGAIN TO HUGIN UK ASKING HUGIN UK TO REVIEW THE POSITION AND NOW TO SUPPLY SPARE PARTS . IN ITS REPLY DATED 28 JULY 1975 HUGIN UK STATED ' WE . . . MUST POINT OUT THAT THE POLICY OF THIS COMPANY REMAINS UNCHANGED . IN ORDER TO PROTECT OUR CUSTOMERS AND TO ENSURE THAT THEY RECEIVE THE CORRECT SERVICE AND THAT ANY GUARANTEES THAT ARE PROMISED CAN BE MET WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO ENSURE THAT ALL SERVICE WORK IS CARRIED OUT BY EMPLOYEES OF OUR COMPANY ' .
IN ANSWER TO A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FROM THE COMMISSION DATED 11 JUNE 1976 , HUGIN UK