Competition Act 1998: Primary UK legislation governing competition law, including provisions for anti-competitive agreements and abuse of dominant market position. Particularly relevant for territory restrictions and pricing policies in franchise agreements.
Trading Schemes Act 1996: Regulates trading schemes and protects against pyramid schemes. Important for distinguishing legitimate franchise operations from prohibited trading schemes.
Consumer Rights Act 2015: Consolidates consumer protection law, relevant when franchise operations involve direct consumer interactions and sales.
Bribery Act 2010: Sets out anti-bribery provisions that franchisors and franchisees must comply with in their business operations.
Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR: Governs the processing and handling of personal data, crucial for customer data management and sharing between franchisor and franchisee.
UK Vertical Agreements Block Exemption Order: Post-Brexit regulation providing block exemption for certain vertical agreements, including franchise agreements, from competition law prohibitions.
Sale of Goods Act 1979: Governs the sale of goods in business transactions, relevant for product-based franchises and supply arrangements.
Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982: Regulates the provision of services, important for service-based franchises and the franchisor-franchisee relationship.
Employment Rights Act 1996: Important for establishing clear distinction between franchisee status and employment relationships to avoid misclassification.
Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008: Protects consumers from unfair practices, affecting how franchises can market and sell to consumers.
Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations 2008: Governs B2B marketing practices, particularly relevant for franchisor's recruitment of franchisees and marketing claims.
Common Law Contract Principles: Fundamental principles of contract law under English common law system, including offer, acceptance, consideration, and intention to create legal relations.
