Green Trademarks Surge to 126,000 in 10 Years: Uni-President Tops with 2,274 Filings, Apple and Nintendo Follow

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs released a comprehensive report on green trademarks over the past decade, covering data from 2016 to 2025. The report reveals that green trademark applications in Taiwan have surpassed 126,000, representing 14.10% of all trademark filings—equivalent to one in every seven applications containing green attributes. This trend reflects companies' strategic use of intellectual property to strengthen their sustainability positioning in the ESG era.

By category, green trademarks are classified into nine groups based on EU standards. Energy conservation leads with 32.34%, followed by pollution control at 25.69%, and energy products at 19.79%, collectively accounting for nearly 80% of all green filings. Notably, climate change-related trademarks, though currently at 5.47% of the total, have shown explosive growth—surpassing 150% in just two years (2024–2025)—emerging as a key driver for future green transformation.

In terms of applicant nationality, domestic applicants dominate with 76%, indicating a shift from technology importation to indigenous innovation in sustainability. Uni-President (1216-TW) ranked first with 2,274 applications, reinforcing its strategy of integrating sustainability into everyday consumer experiences. Among foreign companies, Apple Inc. filed 811 trademarks, ranking second, while Nintendo Co., Ltd. filed 263, securing third place. Kymco Industrial ranked first in the transportation category, highlighting Taiwan's leadership in electric vehicle transition.

The IPO urges businesses to proactively identify green elements in their product lines and trademark decarbonization technologies, green products, and services. By building a dual-track green moat—combining IP protection with sustainability branding—companies can gain strategic advantages in the global race toward net-zero economies.