Business Law Library & Tracker
Advertising, Marketing & Promotions
Marketing claims, prices, promotions, endorsements and commercial messages.
Sources last reviewed 28 July 2026
Main law guides
122
Acts, regulations and codes worth reading first
Topics
60
Plain-English clusters
Published case explainers
143
Selected cases with a business lesson
Tracked updates
11
New, amended & reviewed
Plain-English explainers, not legal advice. Use the linked official source for section-level detail, and get advice for your situation.
Get legal helpMain laws
Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations 2008
SI 2008/1276
Consumer Credit Act 1974
UKPGA 1974 c 39
Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008
SI 2008/1277
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
UKPGA 1988 c 48
Equality Act 2010
UKPGA 2010 c 15
Financial Services and Markets Act 2000
UKPGA 2000 c 8
Limitation Act 1980
UKPGA 1980 c 58
Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003
SI 2003/2426
Gambling Act 2005
2005 c. 19
Cases
Airconco UK Limited v DC Air Condition and Refrigeration Limited
For ordinary businesses, the lesson is simple: do not treat website copy as free to reuse just because it is public and promotional. If you lift wording from a...
Dairy UK Ltd v Oatly AB
If you sell plant-based food or drink in the UK, do not assume a creative slogan, campaign line or trade mark is safe just because it is obviously non-dairy in...
The Financial Conduct Authority v Argento Wealth Limited & Anor
The lasting value of this case is practical rather than technical. If your business raises money, do not assume that a purpose clause automatically ring-fences...
Zaha Hadid Limited v The Zaha Hadid Foundation
If your business depends on a founder’s name, designer label, celebrity brand or other licensed trade mark, do not leave duration and exit rights to later argument....
AstraZeneca AB & Anor v Generics (UK) Limited & Ors
If your business is involved in a patent or similar rights dispute, do not assume an existing injunction will simply continue after an adverse appeal result. The...
Dryrobe Limited v Caesr Group Limited
If you are launching a new brand, do not rely on small spelling changes, punctuation, or a different logo to solve a similarity problem. The court treated D-ROBE as...
easyGroup Limited v Easy Live (Services) Limited & Ors
The practical lesson is not simply ‘avoid famous brands’. It is more specific: test the exact wording you want to use, not just your full company name or logo. In...
easyGroup Limited v easyfundraising Limited & Ors
Read this case as a practical lesson in running two separate trade mark checks. First, if you own registrations, can you prove genuine use of the mark as registered...
Equity & Ors v Talent Systems Europe Limited (trading as Spotlight)
If your business runs a directory, marketplace or subscription platform for freelancers, this case shows that labels alone do not decide your legal status, but your...
Great Jackson St Estates Limited v The Council of The City of Manchester
If your project sits on leasehold land, review the lease before major planning, design and funding costs are committed. Check every clause affecting demolition,...
Prevayl Innovations Limited v Whoop Inc
If your innovation is mainly about where known hardware sits in a garment or device, do not assume that commercial usefulness equals patent strength. You need...
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care & Ors v Lundbeck Limited & Ors
For business owners, the lasting lesson is not limited to pharmaceuticals. If your business makes a deal with a competitor that delays entry, restricts selling, or...
Artcrafts International SpA v MOU Limited
Read this case as a contract wording and channel-management lesson. It does not create a blanket rule for every exclusive arrangement, because the injunction...
Engineer.AI Global Limited v Appy Pie Ltd & Anor
If your brand leans on a common descriptive word, treat evidence as part of the brand asset. Keep UK-specific sales figures, campaign records, website metrics,...
Meta Platforms Inc & Ors v Dr Liza Lovdahl Gormsen
If your business runs a digital service, this case is a warning not to treat user data as a free add-on just because your service has no cash price. The court...
Walter Hugh Merricks CBE v Mastercard Incorporated & Ors
For ordinary businesses, the main lesson is not about running a card scheme. It is about litigation risk travelling through a supply chain. The claim alleged that...
Credico Marketing Limited & Anor. v Benjamin Gregory Lambert & Anor.
If your agreement contains both an exclusivity clause and a post-termination non-compete, assess them separately. This case shows that a court may uphold the first...
Zoe Evans & Ors. v Anytime Clubs UK Limited & Anor.
If you run a franchise, keep clear records showing who controls local marketing in practice, not just on paper. A general right to protect brand standards is not...
Travel Counsellors Ltd v Trailfinders Ltd
Do not assume a new recruit or franchisee is free to bring over a customer list just because they know the customers personally. If the volume, format or detail of...
Rock Advertising Ltd v MWB Business Exchange Centres Ltd
If a contract says variations must be in writing, do not rely on a casual call or email chain to change the deal. Sales, account management and finance teams should...