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Ten 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 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 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 moreThe CAT's new approach: I can't afford a carriage (dispute)
Since the collective proceedings regime in the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) kicked off, a number of carriage disputes have arisen. So-called 'carriage disputes' arise when there are two or more competing proposed class representatives (PCRs) seeking certification (and therefore 'carriage') of overlapping class actions.
Read moreUpper Tribunal confirms it’s the end of the road for HMRC's "fishing expedition"
In the recent Hitchins case, the Upper Tribunal confirmed that it was the end of the road for HMRC's "fishing expedition" and ordered it to close its enquiries.
Read moreClosure notices and the appeals process
In this article we consider the process by which a taxpayer can bring a protracted HMRC enquiry to and end and appeal against a closure notice issued by HMRC.
Read moreTax Bites – August 2024
Welcome to the latest edition of RPC's Tax Bites – providing monthly bite-sized updates from the tax world.
Read moreHNWs: Understanding HMRC's Offshore Information Gathering Capabilities
Wealthy individuals have long been the focus of a substantial part of HMRC’s compliance activities, but a difficult economic climate together with a looming general election and possible change of government is likely to lead to even greater scrutiny of HNWs by HMRC in the short term.
Read moreV@ update – July 2024
Welcome to the July 2024 edition of RPC's V@, a monthly update which provides insightful analysis and news from the VAT world.
Read moreTribunal confirms no tax due on disposal of property held on trust for taxpayer's brother
In Raveendran v HMRC [2024] UKFTT 273 (TC), the First-tier Tribunal allowed the taxpayer's appeal against HMRC's discovery assessment in relation to the disposal of a property because it was held on trust for his brother.
Read moreTaxing Matters: Spotlight 63: HMRC shines a light on property business arrangements involving hybrid partnerships
In this episode, Alexis Armitage, RPC's Taxing Matters host and Senior Associate in our Tax Disputes team, is joined by Simon Howley and Amanda Perrotton from Bell Howley Perrotton LLP. They discuss HMRC's Spotlight 63, which focuses on property business arrangements involving hybrid partnerships, which have recently come to the attention of HMRC.
Read moreTribunal confirms loans from remuneration trust were disguised remuneration
In allowing HMRC's appeal in part, the Upper Tribunal determined that payments received under a remuneration trust scheme were caught by the anti-avoidance provisions in Part 7A of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003.
Read moreDealing with HMRC information notices
Considering three common types of HMRC information notices and the extent to which they can be challenged.
Read moreTax Bites – July 2024
Welcome to the latest edition of RPC's Tax Bites – providing monthly bite-sized updates from the tax world.
Read moreV@ update – June 2024
Welcome to the June 2024 edition of RPC's V@, a monthly update which provides insightful analysis and news from the VAT world.
Read moreTribunal awards taxpayer his costs due to HMRC's unreasonable conduct
In Aftab Ahmed v HMRC [2024] UKFTT 00236 (TC), the First-tier Tribunal granted the taxpayer's application for costs as HMRC had acted unreasonably in defending the appeal.
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