The UK high street favourites known by other names in different countries --[Reported by Umva mag]

Trying to find your local Burger King abroad? You might be searching for the wrong thing.

We Brits are so used to the same old shops on the UK high street, we probably haven’t considered they might be called something else entirely in other countries.

It’s only when you travel, and walk into a store that feels very familiar, that you realise they’re one and the same.

Some beloved brands in the UK, like the aforementioned Burger King, or TK Maxx do thankfully still exist in other destinations, flogging the same stuff.

But due to legal, logistical and other not very sexy reasons, they have different monikers overseas.

So next time you’re heading abroad, look out for these names if you’re after some home comforts.

Burger King UK or Hungry Jack’s in Australia

When Burger King tried to expand into Australia, they discovered that the name was already trademarked by a local restaurant in Adelaide, South Australia.

Burger King provided the Australian franchisee, Jack Cowin, a list of possible alternative names, one of which was Hungry Jack’s.

The name was taken from Hungry Jack, a pancake mixture product, owned by Burger King’s corporate parent, Pillsbury. Jack Cowin felt that was most fitting, as it was still related to Burger King in some way, and simply added an apostrophe ‘s’.

We bet the fact his name was also Jack went into his decision making…

TK Maxx or TJ Maxx in the USA

This is one of the more famous examples and is easy to spot, as the brand logo and colours are all exactly the same, just one letter short.

TJ Maxx is actually the correct one (sorry, Brits) as it was founded in Massachusetts, United States, by Bernard Cammarata.

The first international store opened in Bristol, UK, in 1994 but had to use a new name, as there was already an unrelated British retail chain, known as T.J Hughes.

The company had to modify the name to TK Maxx to avoid confusion with the unrelated British retail chain TJ Hughes.

Primark or Pennys in Ireland

This is another example of a brand that had a different name at origin.

The Irish clothing retailer Primark is called Penneys in Ireland, because the company was originally founded as Penneys in Dublin in 1969. 

When the company expanded into the UK in 1974, it changed its name to Primark to avoid legal action by the American retailer J.C. Penney, who had the rights to use the name in the UK. 

The Irish have continued to use the Penneys name in Ireland.

Pizza Express or Milano in Ireland

Peter Boizot opened the first Pizza Express in Soho, London in 1965, revolutionising the UK restaurant scene by introducing casual dining to the high street.

The story goes that Pizza Express is called Milano in Ireland because, the first site in Ireland arrived in 1995 on Dawson Street, the same street that Lord Mayor lives on. Apparently, the major thought the original name sounded too cheap, and wanted it changed. 

Pizza Express also uses the name Marzano or Pizza Marzano in countries where the brand name isn’t available. This is done to differentiate between restaurants that primarily sell pizza and those offering a wider range of Italian food.

KFC or PFK in Quebec, Canada

We all know what KFC stands for – Kentucky Fried Chicken – but, in case you hadn’t noticed, not everyone speaks English.

In parts of Canada where they speak French, KFC is known as PFK.

This is the case in Quebec due to the Quebec French Language Charter. 

Section 63 of the charter says that a business name must be in French, so KFC changed its name to PFK, which stands for Poulet Frit Kentucky.

Nike, pronounced Nikey in the USA

While the spelling is the same across the USA and the UK, the pronunciation differs.

But it seems we Brits are wrong as Nike, being an American company is pronounced with the extra syllable.

The official pronunciation of Nike is ‘nai-key’, said chairman Phillip Knight in 2014 after two fans asked him for the correct phonetic spelling of the word.

We’ll still keep saying how we like though…

Walkers or Lays in the USA, Canada, Australia

While there isn’t a Walkers crisp store (imagine), this brand gets an honourable mention, given its ubiquity.

Both of these brands are under the umbrella company of PepsiCo but it’s referred to as Walkers in the UK, which was the original name of the crisps when it was founded in Leicestershire by Henry Walker.

It’s Lays elsewhere and was changed due to marketing reasons, as the name Walkers was difficult for non-native English speakers to say.

Lynx or Axe in France, the USA and Australia

Another brand that doesn’t have its own store is Axe or Lynx, but we’re throwing it in anyway.

The brand, synonymous with teenage boys, was originally launched in France in 1983 under the name Lynx, but was renamed Axe when it entered the rest of Europe. 

The reason is pretty straight forward: Axe brand is called Lynx in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand due to trademark issues. 

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

Sign up to our Shopping newsletter

Get the latest trends, offers and trusted reviews

Sign up

Privacy Policy

The following news has been carefully analyzed, curated, and compiled by Umva Mag from a diverse range of people, sources, and reputable platforms. Our editorial team strives to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information we provide. By combining insights from multiple perspectives, we aim to offer a well-rounded and comprehensive understanding of the events and stories that shape our world. Umva Mag values transparency, accountability, and journalistic integrity, ensuring that each piece of content is delivered with the utmost professionalism.