A judge has ordered the removal of all Wolfoo videos after ruling that the series infringed on Peppa Pig's copyright through extensive audio copying.

Hasbro and Peppa Pig creators Astley Baker Davies Ltd have won a copyright infringement case against the creators of the animated series Wolfoo. A judge ruled that all videos featuring the Wolfoo character must be removed from public platforms by 16:00 BST on Monday. The legal action, which began in London in 2022, centered on claims that the Wolfoo series copied audio clips from Peppa Pig to deceive young viewers.

Evidence of audio copying

The court found that the copying of audio clips was extensive and endemic within English-language Wolfoo videos. Upon examination, clips from Peppa Pig were identified in all 92 English-language videos reviewed, as well as in approximately 75% of the foreign-language videos sampled. The judge dismissed arguments from SConnect, the company behind Wolfoo, that third-party contractors were responsible for the unauthorized use of audio, labeling the claim irrelevant.

Scope of the ruling

While SConnect argued that the ruling should be limited to the specific videos examined, the judge ordered the removal of all Wolfoo videos. The injunction applies to the United Kingdom, the European Union, and all 166 World Trade Organisation member states, including the United States and Vietnam. Andrew Lee, a partner at the law firm Brandsmiths representing Hasbro, noted that the judgment allows the company to protect the Peppa Pig brand globally through a single legal forum.