ALONGSIDE YOU IN THE FAST-MOVING RETAIL SECTOR
Retail businesses face more challenges than ever before and the pace of change is relentless: whether it's providing customers with a seamless omnichannel experience, navigating international supply chain headaches or complying with requirements around the world as to green claims in advertising, ESG issues and modern slavery, we're equipped to support you.
Our specialist teams in the UK, across the Middle East and throughout Europe are dedicated to the retail sector and has advised on many of the largest and most complex transactions, mergers and disputes in the retail sector. Our unique mixture of legal knowledge, sector understanding and industry insight assures our clients of the best advice.
PRACTICAL APPROACH
We act for businesses from FTSE 100 companies to SME's and start-ups, including flagship consumer brands such as Associated British Foods, British American Tobacco, Britvic, Diageo, McBride, PZ Cussons, Royal Mail and Tate & Lyle. This means we're well placed to provide practical advice on current trends and emerging market approaches to commonly-encountered problems.
Our approach is to provide advice which doesn't need translating for the business, is practical and doesn't 'sit on the fence'.
Unrivalled recent experience
- Business Change
- Multiple retailers, such as ASDA, on their rewards loyalty programmes
- Peacock Group and Purepay Retail on strategic support around business structuring
- VFC Foods in acquiring the Meatless Farm business and assets from administrators
- Administrators of Black Sheep Brewery in relation to the sale of the business and assets to Breal Capital
- Coty Inc on the Middle East aspects of its disposal of its Professional and Retail Hair business (including brands such as Wella and Clairol) to KKR and on its local distribution agreements in the MENA region covering all of their major brands – Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, Lacoste, Rimmel, Max Factor, etc
- A leading sports goods retail chain on drafting and negotiating a master franchise agreement to support their international development
- A UAE based holding company on the implementation of a halal supermarket chain in France
- KFC on the revision of its standard form international franchise agreement to accommodate to deal with modern concepts (including e-commerce and data protection).
- Diageo on laws related to marketing and promotion of alcoholic and non-alcoholic products in the UAE
- Business Growth
- Asda and Co-op on the acquisition and sale of petrol stations and retail outlets
- JD Sports on its disposal of fashion brands and 60 store locations to Frasers Group
- AB Agri on its strategic acquisition of the Greencoat portfolio of animal care and nutrition brands
- Tim Hortons and Popeye Chicken on retail store acquisitions supporting its UK roll out and expansion programme
- Yum! in connection with the initial public offering (IPO) and dual-listing of its franchise partner, Americana Restaurants International PLC to the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) and Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul)
- Reckitt in relation to its acquisition of distribution rights and its major joint venture with Al Seer in respect of its healthcare and home hygiene products
- Obtaining French merger clearance of the acquisition of 72 Agatha jewellery shops by Altesse and Thom
- A fuel distributor on its acquisition of the exclusive right to develop Burger King restaurants in its fuel stations in the UAE
- Al Boom Marine on a complex series of agreements of significant strategic importance related to the acquisition and operation of the Reebok business in the Middle East as part of a global sale of the Reebok brand by Adidas to Authentic Brands Group
- All Things Live Group a European live entertainment group, in respect of its expansion into the Middle East
- Multiple food industry players on employment law issues during post-merger integration and acquisitions, spanning US and British companies in the food industry. Guidance on antitrust, distribution, and data protection issues
- Digital Business
- ASDA on the biggest IT transformation the UK retail market has ever seen as part of its separation from Walmart following the acquisition by the Issa brothers and TDR Capital
- Primark on the creation, launch and roll out of Click and Collect proposition for customers
- Boohoo on complex data and related IT matters that arise in this fast moving retail and consumer online brand
- Soteria Insurance Limited (formerly CIS General Insurance Limited) on its dispute opposite IBM for unlawful termination of a major technology transformation
- GEMS Education on the launch of its technology business, which include an online tutoring platform and a school management SaaS solution
- Vodafone and KFC in respect of their World Cup 2022 marketing campaigns
- An independent hotel brand rewards company on its collaboration with Mastercard and UAE banks to launch branded credit and debit cards
- Responsible Business
- Bentley, Sainsbury's, Sky and others on directly connected ("direct wire") solar and wind power purchase agreements
- Britvic, Diageo and others on virtual ("corporate") green Power Purchase Agreements across Northern Europe
- British Land, ASDA, M&S and Greene King on Electrical vehicle charging hubs and destination charging at numerous shopping centres, supermarkets, retail parks and pubs
- Primark, Peel Group, Bruntwood and others on heat offtake arrangements from city centre and shopping centre heat networks
- Travelodge, ABF and Primark on green electricity and gas supply
- Co-op and M&S on private utility (electricity, gas, water, cooling) arrangements
- A number of clients on green claims being made in relation to new products, packaging and supply chains and compliance with ASA guidance
- Business Critical
- A listed client in a complex corporate bribery investigation regarding allegations of historic misconduct
- Advised and co-ordinated recalls on products ranging from toys to pet food and cots to cocktail dispensers
- Tobacco and electronic cigarette manufacturers on safety, regulatory controls and enforcement activity
- Representing retailers and wholesalers in criminal investigations/ prosecutions following serious incidents
- A well-known low price supermarket on GSCOP issues
- A grocery retail chain in relation to two competition follow-on damage claims
- A leading petfood manufacturer in a number of disputes with members of its selective distribution network
- Boohoo and Ted Baker on sales and promotions in Europe
- A global retailer on consequences of the Ever Given Suez Canal obstruction
- A global cosmetics and fragrances brand in responding to the investigation of a prominent influencer it was engaged with for terrorist financing
- Represented EurARK LLC, a provider of nutritional supplements, in a multi-jurisdictional dispute relating to trademark infringement by a German competitor who has started distributing products under a brand similar to the client's "FOREVER YOUNG" product range.
- Business as usual
- Santander, Vision Express, boohoo and Fenwicks on Real estate work
- Boohoo on complex data and IT matters that arise in this fast-moving retail and consumer online brand
- Vision Express and Adanola on advertising and marketing matters including copy clearance, prize draws and brand ambassador agreements
- Yum! Restaurants International on its data protection obligations under the new DIFC Data Protection Law 2020
- Kraft Heinz, Estee Lauder, Diageo and IKEA on employment related matters in the UAE
- LIDL on leases and construction issues concerning all their supermarkets in France
- Coty Middle East on in respect of all their wholesale, distribution and retail matters across the Middle East
- Global Hotel Alliance on its entry into a partnership agreement with Royal Seven Seas Cruises
- Kitopi on its data protection privacy notices and data mapping project and Farfetch on its data protection obligations under the new UAE Data Protection Law and BAT on the data protection laws across the MENAP region; advising on BAT's Bahrain and Qatar privacy policies and its group privacy notice; and advising on the use of employee images and transfers of personal data outside of relevant jurisdictions
- Kraft Heinz on broad range of commercial queries and matters across the MENA region
- Kickers International B.V and Foodji Marketplace GmbH on comprehensive EU trademark portfolio management (strategic advice, clearances, filings, renewals as well as enforcement against third party applications)
Key contacts
Meet the team
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