With the prevalent spread of COVID-19, hand sanitizers have become this spring and summer’s “fidget spinners,” cycling through the process from market shortage to glut in short order. With such a rush to meet the drastic spike in demand, product missteps seem inevitable. Although the Recall Roundup generally focuses on recalls under CPSC jurisdiction, the numerous FDA recalls involving hand sanitizers merits mention here.
Continue Reading Recall Roundup: July
The Rise of the Dollar Store
Few other retail sectors have seen the expansion that dollar stores have in the past decade, not to mention in the chaotic first half of 2020. During a time when other retailers are struggling to stay afloat due to social distancing requirements and widespread economic uncertainty, dollar stores are continuing to increase their physical presence as well as their profits.
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SEC Disclosure Issues for Publicly-Traded Retailers
The ongoing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and other recent socio-political events will present a number of disclosure questions for publicly-traded retailers completing their second fiscal quarters.
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Can Trademark Law Combat Price Gouging? 3M is Testing Theories to Protect its Brand
3M Company is a leading manufacturer of N95 respirators. According to 3M, medical workers and public-health professionals consider 3M-branded N95 respirators to be “the gold standard.” Not surprisingly, the COVID-19 pandemic spiked the demand for N95 respirators. 3M ramped up production of its N95 masks as a result, but did not increase the price. Other entities, however, have purportedly offered 3M N95 respirators at prices much higher than 3M’s list prices.
Continue Reading Can Trademark Law Combat Price Gouging? 3M is Testing Theories to Protect its Brand
New Emergency Ordinance Requires San Francisco Employers to Guarantee Reemployment for Certain Employees Laid Off Due to COVID-19
Due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), many San Francisco businesses have closed in order to contain the spread of the pandemic, resulting in declining revenues and widespread business interruption. These economic conditions have led to employee layoffs across San Francisco. As San Francisco employers work to restore their business operations in the wake of COVID-19, they should be aware of new rules that may affect how they rebuild their workforce.
Continue Reading New Emergency Ordinance Requires San Francisco Employers to Guarantee Reemployment for Certain Employees Laid Off Due to COVID-19
NAD Unveils its First Three Cases Under New SWIFT Fast-Track Process
In April 2020, the National Advertising Division rolled out a Fast-Track SWIFT option for certain cases under review.
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Will Virtual Shareholder Meetings Become the New Normal?
One novel feature of the 2020 proxy season has been the surge in virtual shareholder meetings.
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Cash or Credit? State and City Bans on Cashless Retailers Are on the Rise
According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, retail sales plummeted 16.4% in April 2020. As state and local governments across the country begin to lift or ease Stay at Home Orders and business closures, retailers reopening their doors are grappling with how to protect their employees’ health and reassure customers that it is safe to shop.
Continue Reading Cash or Credit? State and City Bans on Cashless Retailers Are on the Rise
EPA Warns Against Potentially False and Misleading COVID-19 Disinfectant Claims
A consumer advisory issued on June 1, 2020 by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) clarifies which hard-surface disinfectant products may legally make claims regarding expected efficacy against the COVID-19 virus.
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COVID-19 and E-Commerce are Changing Retailers’ Real Estate Footprints
The COVID-19 pandemic has driven a large shift toward online retail transactions. In April of 2020, nonstore sales, mostly conducted through e-commerce, increased by nearly 30 percent while overall retail sales in the US are down 16 percent year over year, according to the Department of Commerce.
Continue Reading COVID-19 and E-Commerce are Changing Retailers’ Real Estate Footprints