Europe: Consumer Protection

The ASA's recent rulings against major fashion retailers Adidas, UNIQLO, and Calvin Klein reveal a strict regulatory stance on environmental claims, particularly regarding "recycled" and "organic" product descriptions. These decisions demonstrate that consumers interpret such terms as absolute claims about entire products, requiring comprehensive substantiation. Retailers must now carefully frame environmental claims with precise qualifications or risk regulatory action.

The ASA's June 2026 Pulse Report reveals that environmental claims appear in only 1% of UK online ads, yet three-quarters use absolute terms like "eco-friendly" or "sustainable" that require higher substantiation levels.

From September 2026, businesses making environmental claims in Ireland will face heightened regulatory scrutiny under new EU-transposed legislation designed to combat greenwashing. The regulations introduce specific offences for misleading sustainability claims and grant the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission expanded enforcement powers, including criminal penalties of up to EUR100,000 and imprisonment for non-compliance.

The ASA's recent Jaded London ruling demonstrates that advertisers can breach CAP Code Rule 1.3 through lifestyle imagery and creative choices alone, even without express harmful claims. This analysis examines how the rule operates, what businesses need to consider when reviewing campaign materials, and why social responsibility assessments should extend beyond headline copy to encompass the entire creative execution.

27 Haziran 2026 tarihli ve 33293 sayılı Resmî Gazete’de yayımlanan Yenilenmiş Ürünler Hakkında Yönetmelik (“Yönetmelik”), 1 Ağustos 2026 tarihinde yürürlüğe girmiştir.

The Regulation on Refurbished Products (“Regulation”), published in the Official Gazette dated 27 June 2026 and numbered 33293, entered into force on 1 August 2026. The Regulation repealed the Regulation on the Sale of Refurbished Products, which had constituted the main regulatory framework for the refurbished products market since 22 August 2020, and substantially reorganized the system governing the refurbishment, certification and sale of refurbished products.

The Advertising Standards Authority has issued new guidance on when video game advertisements must disclose in-game purchases and random-item purchases. Recent rulings against Argos and Xbox Game Pass reveal how far these disclosure requirements extend across different marketing contexts, from retail brochures to subscription service promotions.

Ponzi schemes continue to ensnare unsuspecting investors more than a century after Charles Ponzi's original fraud, with recent high-profile cases involving celebrities and athletes demonstrating the enduring appeal of promises for unrealistically high returns. From a Texas-based scheme that caught NFL player Travis Kelce to a bedroom operation in Devon that defrauded hundreds, these frauds exploit victims' lack of investment knowledge and create artificial urgency to prevent careful consideration. Understan

From September 2026, businesses making environmental claims in Ireland will face heightened regulatory scrutiny under new EU-transposed legislation designed to combat greenwashing. The regulations introduce specific offences for misleading sustainability claims and grant the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission expanded enforcement powers, including criminal penalties of up to EUR100,000 and imprisonment for non-compliance.

Academy trusts face unexpected dilapidations liabilities when schools close and 125-year leases terminate, with local authorities presenting substantial bills for building repairs. The moderated repair obligations in standard academy leases, designed to account for poor estate conditions, are now creating complex negotiations as trusts lack budgets for capital payments and struggle without baseline condition evidence from lease commencement.

New guidance issued on 1st September 2026 fundamentally changes how Local Authorities can establish new schools in England, removing the free school presumption and allowing LAs to propose maintained schools alongside academies. What implications does this shift hold for religious schools, LA-controlled trusts, and the future landscape of state education provision?

A new statutory safeguarding information sharing duty comes into force on 30 September 2026, requiring education and childcare providers in England to share relevant safeguarding information without parental consent. What are the key changes to data protection practices, consent requirements, and information sharing thresholds that providers must understand and implement?