DLA Piper Consumer Goods, Food and Retail

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has secured undertakings from Wowcher to change its online sales practices and issue over £4 million in refunds to customers. It considered that Wowcher's use of countdown timers, urgency claims, and pre-ticked sign-up boxes may be misleading and unfair. This outcome stresses the importance of maintaining transparent and fair marketing and selling practices. Here, Mark Dewar, Sophie Lessar, and Kit Lee provide an overview of the investigation. Click on the link to know more: https://lnkd.in/dVr756Qp   #ConsumerProtection #Ecommerce #CMA #OnlineShopping

In our fourth vlog of the Consumer Bites Series, Jun Au discusses the Australian Taxation Office's (ATO) increased focus on cross-border royalty-related transactions. It highlights a draft ruling, TR 2024/G1, that changes the ATO's view on payments under software distribution arrangements. The vlog also covers the PepsiCo case where the Federal Court ruled that PepsiCo was liable for royalty withholding tax (this judgement was later overturned in by the Full Federal Court). These developments suggest multinational enterprises in Australia may face more scrutiny over their intellectual property arrangements. https://lnkd.in/ghy9MED5

Green claims have become a dominant marketing trend worldwide in recent years. In response to growing concerns about 'greenwashing,' numerous jurisdictions have introduced new advertising regulations, legislation and guidance over the past year.  This article penned by Anette Moll Berg, John Wilks, David Alexandre, Sophie Edgerton and Alejandro González Vega examines these developments in key jurisdictions, highlighting efforts to ensure genuine environmental responsibility in marketing. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eq8PYMra

The fashion industry accounts for nearly 10% of all global carbon emissions – more than international flights and maritime shipping combined. At European level, the legislative climate is slowly moving towards increasing requirements with the goal of reducing environmental impact of products throughout their lifecycle and incentivizing production of durable products with recycling ability. In the latest article in our Law à la mode series Laura (Helena) Smit discusses how the ESPR will empower EU member states in implementing eco-design requirements for specific product groups to significantly improve their circularity, energy performance and other environmental sustainability aspects. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eU3dU9am

Getting privacy right in a consumer-facing business is not just about having a privacy policy and getting your marketing consents right. It's also about how you design websites and apps in a way that engenders privacy by default. In this article, Legal Director, Alexa Smith outlines how privacy choices and consumer protection are intrinsically related, and how this then shapes the online customer journey. To read more, click on the link below: https://lnkd.in/euD9hYti

Circular economy transition is a key pillar of sustainability strategy, particularly for consumer goods, food and retail companies, which absorb more than 90% of global agricultural output and account for 75% of municipal waste. The imperative to increase product longevity, preserve our natural resources and reduce waste is clear. As new causes of disputes and regulatory enforcement issues emerge, in this article series, our lawyers unravel the unique contentious risks associated with the circular economy, proposing pragmatic solutions to address them. Click on the link to find out more and access the articles: https://lnkd.in/dnvnmMPB

We continue to share articles from our latest edition of Law à la Mode, which centres around The Circular Economy. The latest piece is authored by Ryan Harrison and Charlotte Swain who discuss how within a dynamic retail landscape, technology and sustainability form a powerful alliance, reshaping how consumers shop and brands operate. This article explores how cutting-edge technology is providing brands with innovative ways to strike a balance between consumer demand for personalisation and sustainable solutions. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/erPwxX8b

In light of the huge growth of alcohol alternative products, the UK’s Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) has introduced new rules, clarifying the extent to which the restrictions which apply to alcohol advertising also apply to ads for alcohol alternatives. Here, John Wilks and Georgina Doukanaris provide a summary of the guidance. Read more via the link below: #alcoholfree #ASA #alcoholadvertising https://lnkd.in/eMYcSycc

In our third vlog of the Consumer Bites Series, Clancy King provides an update on Australia’s #RespectatWork reforms and how the Australian Human Rights Commission is continuing its focus on the retail sector for implementation of the Respect@Work reforms, including the positive duty to eliminate sex discrimination and harassment. https://lnkd.in/gVE8gNRU

Our latest article in the Westminster Watch series breaks down how each party's manifesto commitments could impact businesses in consumer goods, food and retail. As the UK general election campaign enters its final stages, we give you clarity on how a change in government could affect your business. Find out more in this article by Chloe Forster, UK Sector Co-lead of Consumer Goods, Food, and Retail, and Paul Hardy and Isabel Fincham in our Government Affairs team. Click on the link to read the full article: https://lnkd.in/eUZeTrQT #Parliament #Westminster #UKGeneralElection #GE24 #ConsumerGoods #Food #Retail