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Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance

Expertise & Experience

In this section

The consumer goods and retail group at Clifford Chance is a multi-disciplinary, global team highly experienced in dealing with the legal and commercial issues faced by multinational and smaller retailers as well as consumer goods manufacturers and suppliers. The team includes lawyers with sector expertise in key jurisdictions worldwide enabling clients to benefit from a truly integrated network.

An outstanding advisory and transactional track record

Our industry experts across our international network offer our clients first class advice based on outstanding legal expertise and an in-depth knowledge of the industry, their company and the distinctive commercial drivers that affect them. We have a fundamental understanding of the continually changing business environment and the commercial, competitive and compliance pressures that the Consumer Goods & Retail sector is facing. Clifford Chance is ideally placed to help clients meet these challenges and achieve their strategic objectives.

We support our clients in this sector in all key areas of their business, from strategic growth and divestments to international brand management, commercial relationships and regulatory compliance.

Our experience includes advising on:

  • mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic alliances
  • ongoing commercial relationships
  • economic regulations
  • multi-jurisdictional and domestic competition/antitrust issues
  • international brand management & IP issues
  • franchising and licensing arrangements
  • consumer finance, such as credit sale, outsourcing, store-cards and credit cards
  • information technology procurement, ecommerce and home shopping arrangements
  • logistics, distribution, packaging, manufacturing and transitional service arrangements
  • domestic and international product liability and safety issues affecting manufacturers, importers and retailers
  • corporate law and corporate governance
  • real estate matters
  • the full range of financing arrangements, securitisation structures, hedging and derivatives and management of counter-party risk
  • dispute resolution solutions, often in the context of ongoing commercial relationships
  • tax, share schemes, employment and pensions requirements
  • environmental issues arising at all stages of the product life-cycle
  • public policy.

Retail

Our dedicated retail team comprises lawyers drawn from across practices areas and our international network and acts as a focal point for industry knowledge and relevant expertise.

We are highly experienced in dealing with the legal and commercial issues faced by multinationals as well as smaller retailers and suppliers. We regularly provide advice to global companies on the implementation of strategic projects such as major M&A and expansion into new markets, in addition to operational and day to day issues affecting their businesses across the globe.

Focus on luxury goods

Luxury goods is becoming one of the most attractive sectors. This is as a result of both the increasing interest from strategic investors in well-known European brands and the increasing trend for luxury goods companies established in mature markets looking towards the emerging markets for new opportunities to counter the impact of the low-growth environment in their home jurisdictions.

We have a dedicated luxury goods team comprising lawyers drawn from across practice areas and our international network who can assist clients whether they are looking to expand into new markets or partner with foreign investors.

Our lawyers are all experienced in dealing with the legal and commercial issues faced by multinationals and also smaller retailers as well as luxury goods manufacturers and suppliers.

Client experience

  • Booker Group plc: advised Booker Group plc on GBP£3.7 billion merger with Tesco plc
  • Mondelēz International Inc: advised Mondelez International, Inc on the combination of its global coffee business with D.E. Master Blenders 1753 B.V. to create the world's leading pure-play coffee company, to be named Jacobs Douwe Egberts (JDE)
  • Pernod Ricard USA: advised Pernod Ricard USA on the agreement to purchase leading Sonoma, California wine brand Kenwood and related assets from F. Korbel & Bros
  • Carrefour: advised Carrefour on their strategic acquisitions and disposals as well as on an ongoing basis on various matters, including; distribution, franchise, dispute resolution, competition law, consumer law and EU regulations, the establishment of joint-venture and/or franchise relationships in several countries in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa and cooperation agreements with consumer goods suppliers 
  • Suntory: advised Suntory on the £1.35 billion acquisition of Ribena and Lucozade from GSK 
  • Arla Foods: advised Arla Foods on strategic alliances with China's leading dairy and food companies, Mengniu Dairy and China National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corporation (COFCO), including the acquisition by Arla of an indirect stake of approximately 6% in Hong Kong listed Mengniu Dairy for approximately US$290 million; subsequently advised on commercial agreements including brand licensing, long-term supply and technical assistance agreements between Arla and Mengniu 
  • Wilmar International: advised Wilmar International on its purchase from Société Nationale d'Investissement of a 27.5% equity stake in Cosumar, a company listed on the Casablanca Stock Exchange and third largest producer of sugar in Africa