Retail and Consumer Goods

Retail and consumer goods are your business – we’ll take care of the legal issues.

We advise clients from the retail and consumer goods industry on a daily basis and are therefore aware of the multitude and complexity of the various legal issues. Are you looking for the best consultant for your affairs? Together with you, we will develop suitable solutions for every challenge. Whether commercial, supply, licence or distribution agreements, real estate issues, questions regarding research and development or product liability, trademark protection and competition law - we will support you in all legal matters. And should the need arise, we will of course also represent you in court or in arbitration proceedings.

Thanks to many years of cross-disciplinary experience, the lawyers in our sector group have particular industry expertise in the Beauty, Fashion & Luxury and Food & Beverage sectors.

Beauty

We are one of the leading law firms in advising international and national companies in the cosmetics industry. We continuously solve a variety of complex and ever-changing legal issues in the industry. The combined experience of our team members enables us to quickly provide you with customised and comprehensible solutions.

We are also the right contact for you on all current topics such as e-commerce, sustainability, cosmetics law, (influencer) marketing, brand management and data protection.

Fashion & Luxury

You can rely on our sound expertise in all legal aspects of the fashion and luxury goods industry.

Sustainability, supply chain due diligence law, digitisation and the metaverse or upheavals in the rental market: the industry is facing enormous legal challenges. Changing consumer expectations are a game changer for the entire industry, which has now embraced an agile omni-channel sales approach. New marketing and sales opportunities are forming and becoming more established in the metaverse. In general, the focus is still on trademark and copyright infringements as well as national and international disputes on unfair competition and unauthorised assumption of performance.

Long-standing relationships with our clients have given us the necessary industry know-how to find solutions tailored to meet your needs and easily comprehensible. Our goal is the successful implementation of your wishes and a personal cooperation with you.

Food & Beverage

We advise all companies in the food and beverage industry involved in the processing and distribution of agricultural raw materials into food products. This includes the processing, packaging and distribution of food.

Some of our lawyers have many years of in-house experience. Our long-standing clients include world market leaders among the manufacturers and well-known trading houses.

Among other things, we can advise you on supply chain issues, price adjustment rules and brand and distribution safeguards.

Examples of our sector-specific advisory services

• Distribution antitrust: Online and offline condition agreements, warranty systems
• Establishment of (flagship) stores
• Optimisation and restructuring of retail real estate portfolios
• B2B e-commerce: digital marketplaces
• B2C e-commerce: new requirements (Platform Regulation, UTP Directive)
• Action against trademark piracy and infringements
• Social media marketing: collaboration with influencers
• Cross-channel business models (e-commerce, cross-border)
• Employee representation in branch and shop-in-shop structures
• Corporate social responsibility

Focus: e-commerce

E-commerce is still the driving force behind the retail and consumer goods industry and is putting existing structures to the test. Manufacturers often fear a decline in stationary business or disputes with stationary traders. This structural change is also continuing in the real estate sector.

The legal requirements in this context are manifold:

• Operation of online stores
• Sale via online platforms
• Distribution agreements
• Direct distribution by manufacturers
• Sales abroad
• Handling of user data and consumer rights
• Social media, influencer and online marketing
• Contract law (including supply and rental agreements)
• Dispute resolution
• Transport and competition law

We provide reliable and comprehensible advice on all e-commerce topics.