Until recently, Dutch businesses transferring money abroad in foreign currencies were dependent on major banks like ING, Rabobank and ABN Amro. The rates set by the banks have stayed at roughly the same level for years. The Nederlandsche Betaal- en Wisselmaatschappij (NBWM) set the cat among the pigeons at the end of 2016, with a new fixed rate of €5 per transfer.
Read MoreIn April the most important rankings for lawyers and law firms were published: Chambers and Legal 500. Chambers and Legal 500 research the legal market in detail and gauge the opinions of clients and colleagues. Only the best lawyers and firms are listed. Just like in previous years Hoogenraad & Haak and our lawyers do very well in the rankings.
Read MoreIt’s a well-known fact that for a vast range of products, consumers nowadays like to shop online. This applies to alcoholic beverages as well. Reason enough for the Vereniging SlijtersUnie (a Dutch association which serves the interests of liquor stores) to research whether the online-sellers of alcohol have the required licenses to do so.
Read MoreThe product Heks’nkaas (literally translated: witches’ cheese, best described: a herb cream spread for bread) continues occupying the minds in the Dutch IP circles. In 2015 Levola, the producer of Heks’nkaas, started legal proceedings on copyright protection of the spread’s taste.
Read MoreSince Monday I am taking care of Tunahan Kuzu, the party leader of the Dutch political party “Denk”. That is: I take care of him digitally, via the (Tamagotchi-inspired) Kamergotchi app, which was created by the Dutch satirical TV show “Zondag met Lubach”. I proudly inform you that Kuzu is doing rather well. I regularly give him food, love and fresh ideas.
Read MoreConsumers who want to file a complaint about a company can use the website klachtenkompas.nl, an initiative of the Dutch Consumers’ Association. This online complaints platform intends to allow the company and the customer to arrive at a solution together.
Read MoreThe Advertising Code Authority (RCC) and the Board of Appeal (CvB) have recently been very strict in cases that turn on good taste and decency. Two examples.
Read MoreHave you noticed that since 1 November 2016 car prices seem to have risen by a few thousand euro? It’s thanks to an enforcement action by the Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM) focusing on the automobile sector.
Read MoreIn the last week of 2016, just before Christmas, there was another ruling from the Advertising Code Authority (RCC) about the Social Media Advertising Code (RSM). Once again starring Mascha Feoktistova (Mascha).
Read MoreThe bruised face of transgender ‘Hansje’ is staring at you. This poster is an advertisement for a theater show called ‘De Lankmoedigen’ or freely translated ‘The Tolerant’ by theatre group Oostpool.
Read MoreOn 1 November 2016 Daniël Haije was appointed chairman of the Netherlands Advertising Law Association (VvRr).
Read MoreOnce in a while, we are happy to give an overview of the latest food law related decisions of the Advertising Code Committee (“ACC”) , the self-regulatory institution in the Netherlands. We also refer to issue 2015/6, in which we gave an overview of the most important FIC-Regulation related decisions in 2015.
Read MoreMarket Food Group is proprietor of the figurative trademark ‘Bakkerij ’t Stoepje’. The company is known for their big yellow trucks with red letters. MFG delivers confectionery (including bread) to franchisees and other parties. For the biggest part these other parties consist of market traders.
Read MoreAfter all the commotion about the ‘Blue tick’ (“conscious choice”), the ‘Green tick’s little brother (“healthier choice”), the foundation ‘I Choose Conciously’ decided that as of 1 August of this year the Blue tick is no longer permitted on ‘products with children’s marketing’.
Read MoreIn the Albert Heijn TV commercial for bread with the ‘Broodnodig’ label, baker Patrick proudly proclaims that his fresh bread contains only the essentials. The complainant is angry because he has discovered on the label that the multigrain bread also contains dextrose, and that is not essential.
Read MoreThe recent Court of Justice ruling Innova Vital gives us another (future) classic: the strict rules in the Claims Regulation are also applicable to commercial communication from food businesses to healthcare professionals.
Read MoreAllergen-free, what does that actually mean? That was what crossed the minds of the complainants when they saw the claims (100%) allergen-free tomato and vegetable soup and allergen-free meat on the internet. The complainants took this case to the Advertising Code Authority (RCC).
Read MoreAre Goody Good Stuff sweets better or healthier than other sweets? The website says that they contain only natural flavourings and colourings. A complainant at the Advertising Code Committee (ACC) thinks the name Goody Good Stuff is misleading.
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