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Thinking - Publication
Casting your net zero ambitions: eight key steps for retailers
With climate change at the forefront of the ESG agenda, the employment relationship, and the opportunities to engage with the workforce on this subject, are crucial ingredients in the quest to becoming a truly green retailer.
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Thinking - Publication
Extended producer responsibility for packaging: How to prepare
In the Spring 2022 edition of Retail Compass, we reported on the Government's consultation on regulations covering extended producer responsibility (EPR) which places the financial burden of dealing with packaging once it becomes waste on producers as opposed to taxpayers.
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Thinking - Publication
Where to next for Buy Now Pay Later?
On Monday 20 June 2022, HM Treasury responded to its consultation on proposals to extend regulation to unregulated Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) products. This consultation closed in January 2022. The Treasury's response confirmed the scope of regulation will cover BNPL products and short-term interest free credit (STIFC) provided by third-party lenders.
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Thinking - Publication
Online Sales Tax: the right way forward?
On 25 February 2022, HM Treasury launched a consultation exploring the possible introduction of an online sales tax (OST) to address the imbalance resulting from the higher business rates applying to in store retailers, compared to online businesses. The consultation closed on 20 May 2022.
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Thinking - Publication
Greenwashing: UK regulators set their sights on misleading green claims with an increasing focus on sectors such as fashion retail and F&D
UK consumer regulators, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), are ramping up their enforcement of green claims to protect consumers from 'greenwashing'
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Press and Media
Fashion brands make up a quarter of ‘greenwashing’ complaints to the CMA
Fashion brands account for a quarter of complaints relating to unsubstantiated green claims since new guidelines were introduced last year, according to research from international law firm RPC.
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Press and Media
Imposing new Calorie labelling legislation 'couldn't be worse timing' for hospitality sector
International law firm RPC warns change could place increased financial burden on businesses only just beginning to recover from pandemic disruption
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Press and Media
Whistleblower reports on National Minimum Wage breaches jump 37% within retail sector
The number of whistleblower reports relating to alleged National Minimum Wage breaches in the retail sector saw a 37% jump in the past year according to RPC, the international law firm.
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Press and Media
RPC recognised as top-tier firm across eight areas in The Legal 500 UK 2025
RPC, a law firm deeply invested in client ambitions and commercial success, is proud to be recognised once again in The Legal 500 UK 2025 rankings.
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Thinking - Blog
Parliamentary 'wash up' – which Bills made it through?
On 22 May 2024, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that a General Election will take place on 4 July 2024. Parliament was then prorogued on 24 May 2024 which allowed a mere 2 days for 'wash up' - the process by which outstanding bills may be rushed through the parliamentary process.
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Press and Media
Navigating the Generational Shifts in Consumer Behaviour
Gen Z, the first generation to be digital natives and the newest consumer, is turning retail on its head. In its latest edition of Retail Compass, international law firm RPC, takes a closer look at how the priorities of Gen Zers, a third of the global population, are shaping retail and consumer offerings.
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Thinking - Blog
Ginfringement: Success for M&S in the Court of Appeal in registered design spat with Aldi
M&S and Aldi's gin bottle battle over design rights has reached a conclusion (for now) as the Court of Appeal has unanimously upheld the IPEC's decision that Aldi's bottle infringed M&S' design.
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Press and Media
RPC advises the shareholders of Wireless Social on its acquisition by The Access Group
International law firm RPC has advised the shareholders of Wireless Social Holdings Limited (Wireless Social) as it becomes part of Access Hospitality, a division of The Access Group.
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Thinking - Blog
Clear as gin: M&S and Aldi take liquor bottle battle to the Court of Appeal
Intellectual property enthusiasts' favourite supermarket adversaries were back at loggerheads this week as M&S and Aldi appear before the Court of Appeal. The pair sought to thrash out a first instance decision handed down in the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC) regarding alleged infringement of M&S' registered design rights in a gin bottle.
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Thinking - Blog
Going Green - Draft Sustainability Guidance from the CMA
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.
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Thinking - Blog
M&S v Aldi – lookalike claims lit up by design rights
As lookalike products rise in prominence, the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court's (IPEC) recent ruling that the sale and advertisement of Aldi's 'Infusionist' range of favoured gins infringed M&S's UK registered designs protecting the light-up bottles containing its 'Snow Globe' gin range (Marks and Spencer PLC v Aldi Stores Limited [2023] EWHC 178) highlights the utility of registered design rights in circumstances where other intellectual property rights (IPR) are often less able to provide protection.
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Thinking - Blog
Lookalikes and passing off—bottle design get-up claim (Au Vodka)
Currently there's significant activity in the lookalikes space. The Au Vodka claim (Au Vodka v NE10 Vodka [2022] EWHC 2371), which focuses on bottle design 'get-up', arrived in the courts for an interim injunction hearing in September 2022. Au Vodka's application was dismissed. The judgment shows that passing off—get-up claims based on shape can be challenging to bring, particularly at the interim stage, and prompts the question of whether it's possible to bring Cofemel and copyright into the lookalikes arena.
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Press and Media
The Metaverse, green claims and data privacy – what critical issues lie ahead for retailers and consumer brands in Autumn 2022?
International law firm RPC launches the latest edition of Retail Compass
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Thinking - Blog
Return of the MAC (clauses): renegotiating or exiting your supply chain contracts
As more challenges arise from the current pandemic, suppliers and customers in the retail supply chain will be looking at their contracts to see how best to navigate the challenges they face. This may involve reviewing existing supply chain arrangements and seeing if there is a way to renegotiate or exit existing contracts.
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Thinking - Blog
And the winner is... that pre-loved dress
The recent awards season has seen a new dress-code emerging on the red carpet - wearing clothing either rented or previously worn, in an aim to project a message of sustainability. This reflects trends in the wider fashion world, where sustainability models like rental and resale are emerging fast as brands and consumers look to minimise their impact.
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Thinking - Blog
BrewBlog: Sober ad campaign leaves brewery with an unwanted hangover.
In response to complaints about an advertisement published by BrewDog Plc the ASA found that the advertisement had breached CAP code (Edition 12) rules 1.3 (Social responsibility) and 4.1 (Harm and offence) and ordered BrewDog not to run the ad again.
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Thinking - Blog
The Future of Retail is Green
2019 has been a year of environmental awareness, aptly demonstrated by David Attenborough's Glastonbury appearance and Greta Thunberg's speech to world leaders at the UN Climate Action Summit.
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Thinking - Blog
Can retail drones deliver the goods?
A recent flurry of patent registrations provides an insight into how this futuristic technology could soon become a reality for consumers.
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Thinking - Blog
The ‘Meghan effect’: its impact on retailers
The right people endorsing a brand can have a significant impact on its popularity. For example, brands that have been associated with Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle have seen a huge surge in their profile.
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