Legal

Reebok Relaunching EasyTone Shoes After Settling FTC Suit
December 22, 2011

Reebok got itself into a heap of trouble with the Federal Trade Commission when it put out an ad campaign that claimed the design of its EasyTone and RunTone shoes help give anyone who wears them better muscle tone than anyone who wears other shoes.

J.C. Penney, Gap Among Retailers Sued Over Merchandise Tracking Technology
December 22, 2011

Patent licensing company Round Rock Research has filed suit in Delaware Federal District Court against nine retailers: PepsiCo, J.C. Penney, Hanesbrands, The Gap, Fruit of the Loom, Dole Food Company, American Apparel, Macy's and V.F. Corporation (the owner of Wrangler, Lee, and Nautica and other brands). The defendants allegedly infringed five patents held by Round Rock relating to radio frequency identification technology (RFID), which is used to track merchandise.

ShoeDazzle, QVC Face Sweatshop Scandal With Kardashians
December 22, 2011

Several brands sold and endorsed by the Kardashian family, including the upscale K-Dash by Kardashian, QVC's Kris Jenner Kollection and ShoeDazzle, are made in areas of China where government regulations are often ignored and workers are subject to inhumane conditions.

Snooki From 'Jersey Shore' Sued by Licensing Company
December 21, 2011

Following Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino's lawsuit against Abercrombie & Fitch, his pint-sized reality TV cohort, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, has found herself in her own legal entanglement. Polizzi is being sued for $7 million by licensing company SRG Ventures, which claims that it entered a business partnership for a variety of Snooki-related merchandise.

Borders Wins Court Approval of Plan to Dissolve
December 21, 2011

Borders won court approval of the final details of its plans to dissolve. The bankruptcy judge finalized terms of creditor repayments after five remaining objections were resolved.

American Apparel to Pay $60K to Settle Disability Discrimination Suit
December 20, 2011

American Apparel, a clothing manufacturer employing thousands of workers at its production facility in Los Angeles and at retail stores around the country, will pay $60,000 and furnish other relief to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today.

As 2011 Closes, NRF Reflects on Legislative Victories
December 19, 2011

Listed at the very top of the Top 10 Lobbying Victories of 2011 from The Hill newspaper is the National Retail Federation’s campaign to block last-minute efforts by the banking industry to delay debit card swipe fee reforms. While swipe fee reform was a crucial win for retailers, NRF’s legislative victories spanned a wide scope of issues.

NYPD Busts 141 Merchants for Selling Stolen Apple Goods
December 19, 2011

Undercover officers in New York City attempted to sell iPhones and iPads at discounted prices (between $50 and $200) to over 600 stores throughout all five boroughs — including bodegas, supermarkets, gadget stores, etc. — clearly stating that all the hardware had been stolen.

Victoria’s Big Secret? Child Labor
December 16, 2011

Bloomberg reporters went to Burkina Faso, Africa where Victoria's Secret usually buys fair trade and organic-certified cotton crop to make the lingerie it sells. Reporters there found 13-year-old children laboring in the fields in pain from being beaten with switches by their bosses, the cotton farmers.

Ikea Takes Irish Retailer to Court Over Sale of Similar Prints
December 14, 2011

A print featuring a modern interpretation of a heart is among a number of prints at the center of court proceedings brought by Ikea. The company has alleged breach of its trademarks in various prints and "passing off" in its action against Homestore More.