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Hype Economics: the haves and the have bots
With the most wanted items selling out in the blink of an eye, consumers are leveraging automation to get ahead. Is the use of bots creating more than a moral dilemma for retailers?
Read moreTen tips for retailers entering the metaverse
Once the province of online gaming and social media, the metaverse is the new hot topic in retail.
Read moreVertical Agreements: The New Reality
For those operating in the retail sector (amongst others), 1st June 2022 saw changes to the UK and EU competition law rules and the "safe harbour" or exemption from the application of competition law for certain types of vertical agreements, i.e. for contractual parties operating at different levels of the supply chain.
Read moreLow2NoBev Show - RPC takes front row seat as exclusive legal sponsor as the "No/Lo" alcohol drinks category soars
Ahead of RPC acting as the exclusive legal sponsor of the Low2NoBev Show taking place at Olympia London later this month (26 – 28 September 2022), it is useful to understand the fundamental changes happening in this growing sector and the potential discussion points that may arise relating to the marketing of these products.
Read moreWhat'SUP? Single-Use Plastics (SUP) are next target in UK government's war on plastic waste
It only takes a short walk along London's Regent's Canal to witness the sheer volume of littered single-use plastics (SUP).
Read moreThe Summer of ‘Pre-Love’: Has Fast Fashion been Dumped by the British Public?
ITV’s Love Island is back on our screens, officially marking the British summer. This year the show is dumping fast fashion and ‘coupling up’ with its first-ever second-hand clothing sponsor, eBay, with contestants now donning pre-loved pieces sourced from the resale platform.
Read moreTips for approaching innovations using consumer data
Now more than ever, retailers are faced with a wide array of opportunities to use customer data to achieve their commercial objectives. By spotting and assessing key risks early, organisations will be better equipped to avoid breaches of data protection law that may lead to costly fines or claims, failed projects and reputational damage.
Read moreAre the brakes on for Quick Commerce?
With consumers continuing to prioritise speed and convenience in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been significant consumer uptake in the use of ultra-fast grocery delivery apps such as Zapp, Gorillas and Getir since early 2020.
Read moreFake it till you make it? The Government says no more to fake reviews plus tightens up on subscription models
The UK Government has confirmed that new consumer rules will come into force to "shield the public from rip-offs and boost competition". Although not confirmed when these will be introduced, the top three issues on its hit list are fake reviews, "subscription traps" and prepayment schemes.
Read moreCMA pushing for more powers on sustainability
Following its public consultation, the CMA has published its advice to government on how competition and consumer laws can help meet the UK's environmental goals.
Read moreHire Heels: why the rental clothing market matters
The old saying that "you can't wear the same outfit twice" doesn't fit well with younger consumers in particular, who are concerned about sustainability and the environmental hazards posed by fast fashion outlets.
Read moreBuy-Now-Pay-Later under the regulatory microscope
Growth in the Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) sector is showing no signs of slowing. Square's recent $29 billion acquisition of BNPL behemoth Afterpay being the latest signal that the market is on an upward trajectory. In 2020 alone over 10 million Brits used BNPL to purchase goods online, accounting for nearly 4% of online retail sales. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) found that usage had very nearly quadrupled to account for £2.7 billion of spending in 2020. Such popularity, particularly among Gen-Z and Millennials, spans the globe with American consumers spending an estimated $20 billion to $25 billion in 2020 by way of deferred payments.
Read moreA meaty debate: traditional vs lab-grown alternatives
The number of vegans and vegetarians in the UK has skyrocketed in recent years and there are an increasing number of 'flexitarians' aiming to reduce their meat intake for health and environmental reasons. Barclays predicts the meat-alternatives market could be worth £140bn by 2029, which is equivalent to 10% of the global meat industry. This market includes both plant-based foods and newer lab-grown meats.
Read moreMarketing mishap costs Papa John's
Last month, the Information Commissioner's Office ("ICO") has issued a £10,000 fine to Papa John's for sending over 165,000 marketing messages without properly meeting the requirements of the "soft opt-in" rule.
Read moreRetailers to be consulted on new legislation for protection from terrorist attacks
The Government is currently consulting with the public and retailers to seek their views on proposed legislation requiring the occupiers of "publicly accessible locations" to implement measures to protect employees and members of the public in the event of a terrorist attack.
Read moreRe-commerce: the future of luxury fashion?
With Gen Z successfully catapulting fashion resale platforms like Depop, StockX and Vinted into the limelight over the last decade, has the time come for the luxury market to enter the world of re-commerce?
Read moreThe Great British (Local) High Street
There is no doubt that the UK high street has been hit hard in recent years, not least by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. But alongside the headline grabbing news of shop closures, there were in fact over 7,500 new shop openings between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2020.
Read moreTerraLex virtual meeting: The new wave of M&A
In this video presentation, RPC's Neil Brown and Paul Joukador meet with Lori Green and Rick McGuirk to discuss issues related to force majeure, frustration of purpose, material adverse change, and how they’ve been impacted and will likely change in the post-pandemic world.
Read moreThe November 2023 AI safety summit and the UK's direction of travel
The government has confirmed that the UK AI safety summit will be held at Bletchley Park on 1 and 2 November 2023.
Read moreTelecoms supply agreement excludes "loss of profit" claim under "anticipated profits" liability exclusion (EE v Virgin Mobile)
In line with a number of recent cases, in EE Limited v Virgin Mobile Telecoms Limited [2023] EWHC 1989 (TCC) the courts have shown that parties generally cannot avoid clear wording contained in exclusion clauses in order to recover losses that have been expressly excluded (in this case, loss of profits).
Read moreRolls-Royce entitled to hit the brakes in dispute over termination of a software services agreement (Topalsson v Rolls-Royce)
In Topalsson GmbH v Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited [2023] EWHC 1765 (TCC), the High Court has provided useful guidance on how to determine whether a software implementation timeline agreed by the parties is binding, when implementation is considered complete and in what circumstances failing to complete implementation by the contractual deadlines entitles the customer to terminate the contract.
Read moreA narrow escape – software services provider entitled to rely on single aggregate liability cap (Drax v Wipro)
When it comes to bespoke software development projects, a lot can go wrong. There's risk for the customer such as project delays, software defects, functionality issues and a lack of meeting of minds in terms of project requirements.
Read moreUK Government sets out proposals for regulation of AI
What are the UK Government’s plans for the future regulation of artificial intelligence (AI)?
Read moreOfcom prepares for implementation of Online Safety Bill
How and when does Ofcom expect to carry out its new regulatory function for online safety created by the Online Safety Bill?
Read moreEuropean Parliament adopts the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act
What are the next steps in the legislative timelines for the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA) and what should companies be doing now to prepare?
Read moreUK announces new copyright exemption for text and data mining to promote AI development
What does the UK Government’s response to its consultation on Intellectual Property (IP) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) mean for text and data mining?
Read moreThe EU Accessibility Act
What obligations will the EU Accessibility Act place on companies that manufacture or provide in-scope products and services?
Read moreSnapshots Autumn 2022
A roundup of key legal developments for the modern commercial lawyer.
Read moreSnapshots Summer 2022
A roundup of key legal developments for the modern commercial lawyer.
Read moreOfcom guidance on advertising on video-sharing platforms
What do operators of video-sharing platforms (VSPs) need to do to stay compliant with Ofcom’s guidance for advertising on their platforms?
Read moreUK government announces the launch of an AI standards hub
What does the new artificial intelligence (AI) standards hub mean for businesses seeking to develop AI technologies?
Read moreAmended Digital Services Act adopted by European Parliament
How will the European Parliament’s proposed amendments to the Digital Services Act affect consumers?
Read moreCMA secures changes to Xbox auto-renewal practices
How far do Microsoft’s latest undertakings to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) signal a need for all businesses to improve transparency and controls on automatically renewing subscriptions?
Read moreSnapshots Winter 2021
A roundup of key legal developments for the modern commercial lawyer.
Read moreSnapshots Autumn 2020
A roundup of key legal developments for the modern commercial lawyer.
Read moreAudiovisual Media Services Directive – European Commission adopts guidelines on video-sharing platforms and the promotion of European works
What can be learned from the European Commission’s new guidelines on the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD)?
Read moreWhat were the CMA’s key findings in its final report on online platforms and digital advertising?
What can be learned from the European Commission’s new guidelines on the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD)?
Read moreThe ASA’s new UK Scam Alert System
What is the latest tool in the ASA’s technology toolbox to combat misleading advertising online?
Read moreWish.com: sexually explicit in-app ads deemed offensive and inappropriately targeted
Will an ad of a sexually graphic nature be deemed to be inappropriately targeting consumers and causing harm and offence if it appears on general audience platforms?
Read morePlayrix: gameplay footage must be representative of the gaming experience
When advertising a game, can you use gameplay footage which does not actually feature in the game, or only features to a limited degree?
Read moreP&G: verification requirements in comparative advertising campaigns
How much detail do you need to include to meet the verification requirements under the CAP Code when making comparisons with identifiable competitors?
Read moreBOXT: ‘next day delivery’ and comparative pricing claims
How careful do you need to be with “next day delivery” claims? And is one product comparison enough when making a price comparison claim?
Read moreSky UK: clarity over upfront costs and different fees charged to different groups
Do you need to include additional upfront costs in the main body of your ad? And how clear do you need to be about different fees being charged to different groups of consumers (eg existing vs new customers)?
Read moreBanking and Financial Markets Litigation Update - Summer 2024
This update is brought to you by RPC’s top tier banking and financial markets disputes practice in London, with specialists in all areas of financial markets litigation (and arbitration) and a wealth of expertise including frequent involvement in the most complex, high-value, and high-profile disputes in the sphere. Here, we take a look at some of the most important judgments in recent months.
Read moreArbitration or winding up?
In But Ka Chon v Interactive Brokers LLC [2019] HKCA 873, the Hong Kong Court of Appeal upheld a lower court's decision to reject an application to set aside a statutory demand. The appellant had argued (among other things) that an arbitration clause in his agreement with the respondent required their dispute to be referred to arbitration.
Read moreRPC advises Bizet Media in its acquisition of High Wire Post Production
International law firm RPC has advised Bizet Media, the parent company of Milk VFX, in its acquisition of Dublin-based High Wire Post Production.
Read moreCorporate tax update – February 2023
Welcome to the latest edition of our Corporate Tax Update, written by members of RPC's tax team.
Read moreCorporate tax update - January 2023
Welcome to the latest edition of our Corporate Tax Update, written by members of RPC's tax team.
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