Retail and Consumer Goods

Dynamism is probably the word to best define the retail and consumer goods industry. Every day, this sector witnesses new market conditions, as the evolution of technologies creates an evolving consumer behavior thanks to the increased ability to search, get informed and shop at all times through either traditional in-store, direct selling or on-line channels.

To top the game, we focus on understanding the driving forces of this industry and how our clients’ strategy should be adjusted to fairly balance their negotiation power with the market entrance and evolution barriers. We are well aware that, with consumers connecting and sharing information more than ever, customer data has become key to pinpoint target markets and build suitable marketing approaches. With this in mind, we guide clients through data privacy and consumer protection aspects.

Product safety and liability, competition, advertising and promotions: these are all aspects that may become sensitive to any consumer-related activity, but at times are left aside during the course of day-to-day business. Aware of the operational aspects of the retail and consumer goods industry, our focus is to build awareness of legal risks and responsibilities long before complications become apparent, but we are also well equipped to manage crisis situations when these burst as we have the required experience and resources to engage a team of genuine professionals across practice areas.

Our clients include:

• retailers, including more specific structures such as cash and carry, hypermarkets, discounters or e-commerce
• distributors
• suppliers
• other various FMCG companies across sectors such as food and beverages, alcohol and tobacco, personal care, textiles and accessories, household appliances

In this trendsetting sector, where both hard and soft goods retailers look for optimal ways to provide customers with shopping experiences aimed to generate recurrence, our multidisciplinary team of legal professionals, IP consultants and tax professionals provides tailored advice in areas relevant to this sector:

• commercial and contractual law
• consumer protection, including advertising and promotions, labeling and health and safety regulations
• product liability
• competition issues
• tax
• intellectual property
• litigation
• as well as on more general aspects such as finance, real estate, mergers and acquisitions