Pop stars Hall and Oates are pursuing the makers of 'Haulin' Oats' cereal, claiming the manufacturers have infringed their copyright.

The BBC reports that lawyers for the musicians claim Brooklyn-based Early Bird Foods have broken the law by using a "phonetic play on Daryl Hall and John Oates' well-known brand name".

They say the cereal aims "to trade off of the fame and notoriety associated with the artist's and plaintiff's well-known marks."

Hall and Oates, famous for songs such as 'Rich Girl' and 'Man-eater,' began performing in the late 70s and rank as one of the best selling musical acts ever.

'Haulin' Oats,' a nut-free granola cereal, describes itself as having a "back-to-basics flavour... perfect by itself or as the base for a breakfast parfait creation".