Countries are approaching plastics regulation in different ways. Measures that have been proposed and adopted vary and include imposing plastic taxes, bans on single-use plastics, microbead bans, deposit return schemes, and consumer charges to discourage consumption (e.g., carrier bag charges). At an international level, in 2022, a UN resolution was endorsed to end plastic pollution and propose an international legally binding agreement by 2024.
Cybersecurity threats and risks are increasing each day, and cybercriminals are getting more sophisticated in their attacks. Companies need to ensure that their data security measures keep up with ever-changing regulations and that they have protocols in place to deal with cyber threats, breaches, and ransomware attacks. Retail brands recognize that in an increasingly connected world, cybersecurity should remain a top priority.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is driving new business opportunities across a growing number of industry sectors, including consumer goods and retail. Enticed by its transformative potential, companies are actively exploring, experimenting, and deploying AI solutions in business processes, products, and services and are finding ways to derive business value from it. The emergence of generative AI capable of human-like text that can analyze vast amounts of data and create new content has caught the public’s attention and turbocharged interest in potential use cases in the CG&R industry.
Consumers are demanding more from their brands and increasingly basing their purchasing decisions on the sustainability of products and companies. In response to this, the Baker McKenzie Consumer Goods & Retail industry group has produced the “CG&R and Sustainability Video Chat Series” in which experts provide short, practical insights into some of the legal considerations that companies need to keep in mind when undertaking green innovation. In the second episode of the series, Julia Hemmings, a Partner in the Digital Commerce, Advertising & Marketing practice in London, and Rebecca Lederhouse, a Counsel in IP and Technology based in the Chicago office, discuss the role of marketing in green innovation and the increasing regulatory scrutiny around green claims in advertising.
Consumers are demanding more from their brands and increasingly basing their purchasing decisions on the sustainability of products and companies. In response to this, the Baker McKenzie Consumer Goods & Retail industry group has produced the “CG&R and Sustainability Video Chat Series” in which experts provide short, practical insights into some of the legal considerations that companies need to keep in mind when undertaking green innovation.
In February this year, the South African Hydrogen Society Roadmap was published by the South African government. This is the culmination of efforts spread over many years. As the country navigates its energy transition, the Roadmap is considered to be an important marker on its path towards implementing hydrogen development, which is envisaged to be at the centre of South Africa’s strategy for economic growth and mitigating climate change.
New solutions are being implemented to address Africa’s power challenges. These solutions center around the energy transition and utilization of renewable energy, smart power technologies, the role of green hydrogen and ammonia, and the global drive towards a decentralized, decarbonized, affordable and secure energy supply.
New solutions are being implemented to address Africa’s power challenges. These solutions center around the energy transition and utilization of renewable energy, smart power technologies, the role of green hydrogen and ammonia, and the global drive towards a decentralized, decarbonized, affordable and secure energy supply.
As an essential component of South Africa’s energy transition, the production, transport, storage and use of green hydrogen, has been the subject of numerous policy updates and public and private sector commitments in the country, especially in the last year. The timeline of developments is not expected to slow down as South Africa zeroes in on solutions to its energy crisis that enables it to also address climate change and deliver on its decarbonization targets.