“Aurora responds to the Christmas stars scandal: sales are suspended
19 November 13:58
Ukrainian artist Lyubov Shulga has publicly stated that the Aurora multimarket chain sells Christmas stars made according to her copyrighted design without permission and without paying royalties, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
According to the woman, this is a clear violation of copyright.
“These are my stars – with my design”
Shulga claims that since 2023 she has been making Christmas stars in a recognizable style that have become popular on social media. All of her works, she says, are accompanied by attribution or watermarks, and it is not difficult to find the author from the image.
According to the craftswoman, she noticed videos on TikTok featuring products that Aurora sells for 139 UAH, and among them were models that almost repeat her design.
“Instead of acquiring property copyrights or including royalties in the price, the store and the manufacturer simply dump and sell the stars for nothing,” Shulga wrote.
She also added that, according to her information, similar situations happen to other authors.
The artist said that she contacted Aurora via social media, and her lawyers are preparing an official complaint. A separate appeal is planned to be sent to the manufacturer.
Aurora’s response
The company stated that the goods came from a Ukrainian supplier as products of its own production.
“Aurora has already asked the manufacturer for an explanation and temporarily suspended the sale of the stars, promising to remove the goods from the shelves until the circumstances are clarified.
Social media is full of controversy and doubt
The discussion under the artist’s post quickly turned into an active debate. Users divided into several positions.
The position of the artist’s critics
The Christmas star is an element of Ukrainian folklore, and folklore motifs are not subject to private copyright.
Some emphasize that “the painting is not unique” and that many artists have similar stars.
Some commentators ask whether Shulga has a registered copyright or patent for the design.
What’s next
The artist’s lawyers are preparing a claim, and Aurora promises to report on the results of the internal audit.
The situation has already escalated into a high-profile discussion about the limits of copyright in folklore motifs and the responsibility of large retailers to vet suppliers.
