Sainsbury Pulls Alleged Fake Nike Shirts

British retailer J. Sainsbury bowed to a threat of legal action from Nike Inc. by withdrawing from sale some unofficially obtained polo shirts that the giant U.S. company said are fakes. Beaverton, Ore.-based Nike said it received a letter from the British superstore group’s lawyers, saying Sainsbury Savacentre outlets have been told to take the Nike “Golf” polo shirts off the shelves. Sainsbury was not commenting. Nike said the move represents “an apparent U-turn” from Sainsbury’s position, when it rebuffed Nike’s court threat with the statement, “We have every reason to believe that these polo shirts are authentic.” Nike shares fell $1.13 to close at $36.25 on the NYSE.