Amazon has apologised after sending a legal notice to a fishmonger demanding his chain of stores stop advertising “prime day” fish.

Robin Moxon, who owns four shops and a fish smokery in London, received an email from lawyers acting on behalf of the online retail giant asking for references to “prime day” boat fish to be “pulled” from Moxon’s website.

Following the request to remove the wording, the high-street seller said he phoned solicitors at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius and explained that the term had been used by fish sellers for “hundreds of years” – a response that has elicited an apology from Amazon and the legal practice.

US-based firm Amazon has registered “prime day” – which is its slogan for an annual two-day event of deals and offers for its Prime members – as a trademark.

But Mr Moxon said “prime day” catch was a “nice, neat little phrase” fishmongers used to advertise it had top-quality fish in stock.

Despite the online retailer backing down, Mr Moxon called its attempt to stifle the use of “prime day” branding “heavy handed”.

“I basically said to them, ‘Are you taking the p***?’,” he said, recalling his conversation with Amazon’s representatives. “This phrase has been used by many people probably for hundreds of years, and I’ve been using it for 30 years.”

According to an email seen by PA Media, Amazon’s lawyers wrote to Mr Moxon’s on June 21 expressing “concern” that consumers were “very likely to think that a ‘Prime Day’ sale event/advertisement coinciding with Amazon’s Prime Day is offered in association with Amazon when it is not”.

The solicitors said: “Amazon appreciates your enthusiasm for its Prime Day; however, they want to make sure the Prime Day trademarks aren’t used in this way or by other brands.

“If we can get the references to Prime Day on your website, and anywhere else on your social media accounts where it may exist, pulled and your assurances on the above, we can consider this matter closed.”

The firm sent an email later that day apologising “for any inconvenience”

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