Baker McKenzie's "Off the Shelf"

Asia Pacific's food and beverage (F&B) franchising sector is undergoing rapid growth, driven by economic development, urbanization, and a young, tech-savvy consumer base. To succeed in this dynamic environment, brands must navigate diverse regulatory frameworks, adapt to local tastes, and develop robust market entry and exit strategies. Strategic foresight and operational agility are essential, as sustainable growth depends on understanding local nuances and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. In our latest episode, Jonathan Flintoft (Partner, Baker McKenzie Sydney), Cahyani (Icay) Endahayu* (Partner, HHP Law Firm, Jakarta), and Serene Kan* (Partner, Wong & Partners, Kuala Lumpur) explore what's fueling Asia Pacific's F&B franchise boom. *Wong & Partners and HHP Law Firm are member firms of Baker & McKenzie International, a Swiss Verein.

In this episode, Lucy Hart guides us through the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and what it means for brands and retailers operating a consumer-facing website or app that sells goods or services to EU consumers. Here we focus on "e-commerce services"—which includes websites, mobile apps, e-commerce platforms, subscriptions, online booking systems, and even potentially microsites for promotions or competitions if they require acceptance of terms.

In this episode, Julia Dickenson explores the growing popularity of dupes and lookalikes, how this is impacting the luxury, fashion and cosmetics sector, and what practical strategies are available to brand owners to tackle this challenging trend. Legal avenues such as non-traditional trademarks, designs, copyright, and unfair competition are being used to combat dupes, but these can be complex and less clear-cut than traditional avenue and brands are seeking more creative ways to bring cases and address this growing problem.

Continuing on from the previous episode, Alyssa Auberger, Baker McKenzie's Chief Sustainability Officer and former Global Chair, Consumer Goods and Retail (CG&R) Industry Group is again joined by Sue McLean, partner in Baker McKenzie's IP, technology and data group, to discuss some initial considerations – and in particular data privacy considerations – for CG&R businesses who are thinking about participating in a private blockchain consortium.

In this episode, Alyssa Auberger, Baker McKenzie's Chief Sustainability Officer and former Global Chair, Consumer Goods and Retail (CG&R) Industry Group is joined by Grant Murray, an Antitrust and Competition expert based in our London office. They discuss how competitor collaboration to address common sustainability challenges in the CG&R industry need not land companies on the wrong side of competition law.

In this episode, Alyssa Auberger, former Global Chair of Baker McKenzie's Consumer Goods and Retail (CG&R) Industry Group is joined by Anne Petterd, partner in the Technology, Communications and Commercial team. They continue to discuss the future of online retail, including the increased use of new technologies that can give CG&R businesses an edge and support their post-COVID-19 renewal activities – with a reminder not to forget the basics when exploring the use of new technology in their businesses.

In this episode Alyssa Auberger, former Global Chair of Baker McKenzie's Consumer Goods and Retail (CG&R) Industry Group is joined by Mara Ghiorghies from our global antitrust team and based in London. They discuss both the challenges and opportunities of the crisis for CG&R companies from a competition compliance perspective, whether on the supply, distribution, or sales side, and whether we will see competition authorities taking a renewed, more flexible approach given changes to consumer and market behavior.

In this episode, Alyssa Auberger, former Global Chair of Baker McKenzie's Consumer Goods and Retail (CG&R) Industry Group is joined by Rebecca Lederhouse, IP Counsel based in our Chicago office. They discuss a number of practical tips that CG&R businesses can keep in mind to avoid inadvertent marketing mishaps – including by influencers and sales staff – as they renew both their online and in store advertising campaigns for the new COVID world. Based on recent US trends, the points discussed are relevant to any CG&R business looking to advertise to a US audience, and can also serve as best practice guidance for any business in the sector.

In this episode, Alyssa Auberger, former Global Chair of Baker McKenzie's Consumer Goods and Retail (CG&R) Industry Group is joined by Niklas Wielandt, a real estate expert based in our Frankfurt office. They discuss what the post-COVID-19 world has in store, and more specifically, how CG&R businesses can use the crisis to renew their approach to brick and mortar outlets generally.

In this episode, Alyssa Auberger, former Global Chair of Baker McKenzie's Consumer Goods and Retail (CG&R) Industry Group is joined by Julia Wilson and Jonathan Isaacs, partners in Baker McKenzie's Employment and Compensation practice. Julia and Jonathan look beyond the recovery phase and discuss what the post-COVID world has in store for the CG&R industry and more specifically, how businesses can use the crisis to renew their business approach to employment issues in a positive way.

In this episode, Alyssa Auberger, former Global Chair of Baker McKenzie's Consumer Goods and Retail (CG&R) Industry Group is joined by Julia Wilson a partner in Baker McKenzie's Employment and Compensation practice. Julia discusses some of the immediate COVID-19 issues as they affect CG&R businesses to help them remain resilient during the crisis.