The FSPA Consumer Law and Consumer Rights Seminar

• Posted on Jul 01, 2016

On 30th June 2016 the Federation of Sport and Play Association (FSPA) hosted a free seminar for all members at the Reading Office of Penningtons Manches LLP, the international law firm. The ½ day seminar tookplace from 09.45 – 14.00 and was split into 2 sessions covering:  

Consumer Law  

• Reform of UK consumer law, including the key changes implanted by the Consumer Rights Act 2015
• Goods, services and digital content: rights and remedies post 1 October 2015
• Customer claims for aggressive practices and misleading information
• (In brief) Unfair contract terms and enforcement of consumer law   

Online Marketing and Advertising

• Benefits and risks of using online marketing and advertising
• Application of UK laws and regulations, including an overview of the CAP code and Electronic Commerce (EC Directive)  Regulations 2002
• Overview of digital marketing techniques, including affiliate marketing, viral marketing and social media advertising
• Using linking technology: hyperlinks, framing and metatags
• Minimising the risk of foreign actions

Data Protection Update  

• Current data protection regime in the UK and EU (including the DPA and PECR) and the future: the GDPR
• The steps needed to be GDPR ready
• 8 principles of good data handling
• Specific issues, including international data transfers and cookies  

The seminar was led by Hamish Corner who is a Partner in the IP, IT and Commercial Team at Penningtons Manches. Hamish specialises in intellectual property and IT law, and advises on all aspects of commercial licensing arrangements, including collaborations, joint ventures, licensing, franchising, agency, distribution, IP-related sales and acquisitions. He also advises on EU data privacy and data protection issues. Hamish said “The seminar offered delegates the opportunity to hear how the Consumer Rights Act 2015 has made the most significant changes to consumer rights for a generation, consolidating and updating numerous other laws.  They learned how when combined with the complicated laws on marketing and data protection, it is more important than ever before that businesses get to grips with these rights and reflect them in their own advertising, sales and returns processes.”  

Ciara Morgan, FSPA Marketing Manager said “Hamish and his colleague from Penningtons Manches offered FSPA members a bespoke seminar, they used relevant examples to deliver common-sense content both in the advice they gave and the way it was phrased. Each section of the seminar contained either a short case study or an interactive element.”  Paul Hedges, CEO of Foremost Golf (who was one of the delegates on the course) said “The seminar raised a number of issues that were relevant and thought provoking.”

The FSPA promotes the benefits of physical activity across its 14 trade associations and approximately 500 member companies within the UK sports and play sectors. FSPA member Associations include; API, APSA, BAGCC, BASES, BGIA, BRTMA, CMAE, EGIA, GCA, FEPI, PPA, SGIA, SPE and UKGCOA.