VAT Cut on Family Days Out

 

Families are expected to get cheaper access to theme parks, zoos and museums as well as kids' meals as a temporary VAT cut comes in to force on Thursday for the school summer holidays. Ticket prices at various attractions are among the activities where VAT will be reduced from 20% to 5% in what the goverment said would help with the cost of living. But families, charities and firms said the measure will do little to help squeezed budgets, with some doubting the tax saving would be passed on to customers. VAT will be reduced on children's meals served in restaurants as well as kids' and family tickets for cinemas, theatres, concerts, shows. and exhibitions. Also included are adventure parks, nature reserves and wildlife parks. There will be free bus travel for children aged between five and 15 in England. The government said the scheme will cost around £300m. Businesses can choose whether or not to pass on the discount to customers. Pub chains Wetherspoons and Greene King, as well as Nando's will be among those who say they will pass on tax savings to customers in the form of cheaper meals.

BBQ - Why might businesses not pass on the savings to customers?

VAT Cut

Amsterdam Advert Ban

 

Amsterdam has become the world's first capital city to ban public advertisements for both meat and fossil fuel products. Since 1 May, adverts for burgers, petrol cars and airlines have been stripped from billboards, tram shelters, and metro stations. Politicians in the city say the move is about bringing Amsterdam's streetscape into line with the local government's own environmental targets. These aim for the Dutch capital to become carbon neutral by 2050, and for local people to halve their meat consumption over the same period. Removing that constant visual nudge, she says, both reduces impulse buying, and signals that cheap meat and fossil heavy travel are no longer aspirational lifestyle choices. "The climate crisis is very urgent," says Anneke Veenhoff from the GreenLeft Party. "I mean, if you want to be leading in climate policies and you rent out your walls to exactly the opposite, then what are you doing?

BBC - How would you feel as a meat producer following this ban? Will other cities follow?

Amsterdam Advert Ban

Labubu Toy Manufacturer Exploited Workers

 

A labour rights organisation claims it has found evidence of worker exploitation in a Chinese factory that makes the viral Labubu dolls. China Labor Watch (CLW), a US-based non-governmental organisation, alleges that its investigation found that one of Pop Mart's suppliers made employees work excessive overtime shifts, sign blank or incomplete contracts and did not give them paid leave. The furry Labubu dolls have surged in popularity around the world in recent years and are best known for selling toys in "blind boxes", which hide its content from buyers until it is opened. The Beijing-based toy retailer Pop Mart said it appreciated the details from the review and that it will "firmly" require companies making its toys to correct their practices if the allegations are found to be true. Pop Mart added that it conducts regular audits of its suppliers, including yearly independent third-party reviews carried out by internationally recognised inspectors. CLW said its researchers conducted 51 in-person interviews with the factory's employees to discuss matters of recruitment, contracts and their working conditions. The factory is a "core manufacturing facility" of Pop Mart toys and employed more than 4,500 workers, according to CLW. The organisation flagged labour issues at Shunjia Toys Co Ltd's factory in Xinfeng County, including what it said were illegal overtime hours, unclear contract practices and a lack of safety training and protections.

BBQ - What might be the consequences for Pop Mart following this investigation?

Labubu Exploitation

Junk Food Advert Ban Starts

Junk food adverts will be banned on television and online from Monday as part of a drive to tackle childhood obesity. The UK-wide ban will stop food and drinks high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) being advertised on TV before 21:00 and at any time online. It applies to products considered to be the biggest drivers of childhood obesity, including soft drinks, chocolates and sweets, pizzas and ice creams. As well as more obviously unhealthy foods, the ban will also cover some breakfast cereals and porridges, sweetened bread products, and main meals and sandwiches. Decisions over which products fall under the ban will be based on a scoring tool, balancing their nutrient levels against whether they are high in saturated fat, salt, or sugar. Firms can still promote healthier versions of banned products, which the government hopes will lead to food makers developing healthier recipes. It is estimated obesity costs the NHS more than £11bn every year. Evidence shows children's exposure to ads for unhealthy food can influence what they eat from a young age, in turn putting them at greater risk of becoming overweight or obese.The government estimates the ad ban will prevent around 20,000 cases of childhood obesity.

BBQ - Do you think the ban will be effective in reducing obesity?

Junk Food Ban

Customers Sue Squeaky On Shoe

The Swiss athletic footwear company, On, is facing a major class-action lawsuit in the US over an alleged defect in its premium-priced CloudTec running and lifestyle shoes. The complaint, led by two consumers who bought models like the Cloudmonster and Cloud 5, alleges that the signature hollow-pod sole design causes the shoes to produce a "loud, embarrassing, and difficult-to-stop squeaking sound" with every step. The lawsuit asserts that this noise, often caused by friction or trapped moisture within the sole's air pockets, renders the shoes—which retail for over £150—unfit for their ordinary purpose. The plaintiffs accuse On of deceptive marketing and fraudulent business practices by knowing about this widespread problem (as evidenced by numerous online complaints and "DIY fixes") but failing to warn buyers, refusing to remedy the issue, and excluding the "squeaking defect" from their warranty coverage. The lawsuit is seeking over $5 million in damages and demands that On be required to fix or replace the defective shoes and warn future customers. The complaint argues that no reasonable consumer would pay the premium price for the shoes knowing they would be so noisy and unusable in public.

BBQ - Is the customer always right? What do you think On should do?

Squeaky Shoes

UK Bans BOGOF Junk Food

The UK government has banned “Buy One, Get One Free” deals on unhealthy food and drinks in shops and online, aiming to curb rising obesity rates. The new rules, effective from 1st October 2025, also stop free refills of sugary drinks in restaurants. Items like fizzy drinks, crisps, cakes, and certain pizzas are affected. Health experts say these promotions encourage overeating and poor dietary choices. The ban is part of a wider strategy, including restrictions on junk food advertising before 9pm, expected to help prevent thousands of cases of childhood obesity. While some retailers had already limited such deals, the law now ensures consistency across the UK. Retailers and food manufacturers may now need to rethink their promotional strategies. With multi-buy offers restricted, businesses could shift towards healthier product bundles, loyalty schemes, or price reductions on nutritious options. This change could also influence consumer behaviour, encouraging more mindful shopping and healthier eating habits.

BBQ - Explain one way this change could affect marketing strategies used by supermarkets.

BOGOF Ban