- Related capabilities
Addisons’ Consumer Brands & Retail team helps leading consumer-facing businesses strengthen, manage risk and protect brand value across the whole business lifecycle. We advise Australian and global brands, retailers, manufacturers, distributors, operators and digital commerce platforms on the legal issues that shape how they develop products, source and supply goods, go to market, engage customers, manage people and sites, respond to regulators and pursue growth through mergers, acquisitions and strategic partnerships.
With decades of experience in the sector, including long-standing relationships with many of Australia’s best-known consumer brands, we understand the commercial pressure these businesses face. Our team includes recognised experts across the legal disciplines that matter most to consumer brands — competition and consumer law, corporate transactions, brand protection, IP, privacy, employment, property, planning, environment, disputes and regulatory investigations. Consumer brands need lawyers who understand the pace, scrutiny and operational complexity of consumer markets — and who can give clear, practical advice that supports confident decision-making without slowing growth. We bring together the right specialists quickly and keep the focus on commercial outcomes.
We support consumer brands and retail businesses across the issues that most affect their growth, reputation and day-to-day operations, including:
- Launching and selling products – product regulation, labelling, advertising, promotions, substantiation and product safety.
- Managing routes to market – supply, manufacturing, procurement, logistics, distribution, e-commerce and retailer arrangements and contracts.
- Protecting brands and customer relationships – trade marks, brand protection, IP licensing, privacy, data, digital platforms and customer engagement.
- Resolving disputes and using litigation strategically – defending claims, regulatory enforcement action and class action risk, and bringing proceedings where needed to protect brands, confidential information, contractual rights, market position and strategic transactions.
- Embedding compliance and training – compliance programs, policies and training in competition and consumer law, modern slavery, anti-bribery and corruption, workplace conduct, discrimination, bullying and harassment, and safety governance.
- Managing operational risk and change – employment advisory, workplace investigations, WHS compliance, property and leasing, acquisitions and divestments, merger clearance and regulatory investigations.
- Managing sites, approvals and environmental risk – planning approvals, environmental impact assessment, contaminated land, pollution incidents, EPA licensing, voluntary planning agreements, compulsory acquisition and development or redevelopment of retail, manufacturing and operational sites.
Our work spans many of Australia’s most recognisable consumer brands across food and beverage, household products, retail, hospitality and digital commerce. Many of these relationships extend over decades, reflecting the trust clients place in us for both business-critical projects and day-to-day decisions.
Our relevant experience demonstrates the breadth and depth of that work — from landmark brand acquisitions and merger clearances to advertising, product compliance, retail relationships, investigations, disputes and operational risk.
since 2010, acted on Bega’s M&A transactions, associated capital raisings and merger clearances, including acquisitions of the Dairy Farmers, Yoplait, Big M, Masters, Dare and Farmers Union iced coffee brands, Saputo’s Koroit processing facility, and the VEGEMITE and peanut butter assets from Mondelēz Australia; and represented Bega in Federal Court litigation commenced by Kraft Foods, defending and securing Bega’s ownership of the iconic yellow-lidded peanut butter trade dress.
acted on M&A and merger clearance aspects of Australian brand and beverage transactions, including the 2025 acquisition of Billson’s alcoholic ready-to-drink beverage brands, acquisitions of non-alcoholic drink brands including Mount Franklin, Deep Springs, L&P and Kirks, and transactions involving the Made Group brands Cocobella, Rokeby Farms, Impressed Juice and Nutrient Water.
since 2010, provided daily advertising and marketing clearance advice on global and Australian campaigns, food regulatory advice, and acted in Federal Court proceedings concerning competitor advertising.
advised on the acquisition of Prime100, the premium fresh pet food branded business, including competition and consumer law aspects of the transaction.
since 1999, acted on major transactions in Australia and New Zealand, including acquisitions of the John West canned and chilled fish business, Lean Cuisine, Mr Chips and Top Cut Foods.
advised over many years on commercial contracts, consumer law issues, advertising and marketing, compliance training and competition and consumer law risk management.
represented Decathlon in responding to a section 155 notice, the subsequent ACCC investigation and Federal Court proceedings concerning breaches of mandatory product safety standards.
represented Hungry Jack’s in Federal Court proceedings against McDonald’s over the use of the BIG JACK trade mark.
acted on acquisitions of pub hotels, venues and commercial buildings, liquor licence and gaming advice, merger clearance under the new merger regime, and Federal Court proceedings to protect the ESTABLISHMENT restaurant, bar and hotel precinct brand.
provided ongoing legal support to the ASX-listed furniture and homewares retailer, including corporate secretarial matters, M&A support, leasing strategy and brand clearance advice.
advised on environmental, planning and site-risk matters, including Land and Environment Court proceedings for a regional abattoir, environmental and planning due diligence for industrial land, shopping centre developments, the Dexus/Gateway retail and podium redevelopment, compulsory acquisition and valuation matters for retail tenants and landowners, and contamination and asbestos-contaminated waste liability issues.
advised on a complex workplace investigation involving allegations of fraud and misconduct and assisted in resolving related stop-bullying applications in the Fair Work Commission.
advised leading consumer brands on day-to-day commercial and legal compliance matters including retailer trading terms and supply arrangements, Food and Grocery Code compliance, Australian Consumer Law issues, product safety and recalls, pricing and promotions, advertising and marketing, regulatory investigations, exclusivity restraints, resale price maintenance risk, modern slavery statements, anti-bribery and corruption policies and competition law reviews.