Regulatory

The Regulatory team deals with all aspects of regulatory compliance including environmental law, health & safety and trading standards. We advise retailers on regulatory compliance; audit their policies and procedures in order to ensure that they are fit for purpose; advise and represent them with regard to regulatory offences and defend clients who end up being prosecuted following interview. Clarke Willmott is one of the only firms in the South West to offer a complete regulatory service in this way.

One current hot topic is the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997. These Regulations are not widely known about but can have a significant impact on retailers. The Regulations require any company with a turnover in excess of £2m that handles more than 50 tonnes of packaging material per year to register with a scheme that deals with reporting on recycling obligations. The fines for a failure to register can be in excess of £50,000. Raising awareness of these regulations could be of great benefit to our retail clients.

Another very hot topic is the proposed new regulations banning the display of tobacco at point of sale and limiting the use of cigarette vending machines. The new regualtions are likely to impose significant compliance challenges to many of our retail clients.

Contact: Jamie Foster