Month: March 2025

Government Consultation on Copyright and AI raises numerous issues, says IPA

Stuart Mitchell

The IPA has this week submitted its response to the Government’s Consultation on Copyright and AI. While grateful for the opportunity to respond to the Consultation, the professional body for UK advertising agencies has highlighted to Government that it raises many issues, demonstrating the complexities of the law of copyright and its application to the use of generative AI. In its response to the specifics of the Consultation, the IPA has outlined that: It is not convinced by the proposal to expand the text and data mining (TDM) exception for…

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Berry Global and Mars Announce Packaging with 100% Recycled Content

Stuart Mitchell

Berry Global Group, Inc. collaborated with snacks and treats leader Mars to transition its pantry jars for M&M’S®, SKITTLES® and STARBURST® brands to 100% recycled plastic packaging, exclusive of jar lids. This achievement advances the ongoing collaboration between Berry and Mars to develop packaging made with recycled content, and builds on a previous launch of the pantry jars with 15% recycled plastic in 2022. The updated jars are now rolling out across the country. The pantry jars are widely recyclable and come in three sizes: 60-, 81- and 87-ounces. This…

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Vattenfall reduces costs and carbon emissions through optimised charging

Stuart Mitchell

In an office building belonging to Gewobag in Berlin, Vattenfall uses an intelligent control system to ensure that charging mainly take places at times when plenty of renewable energy is available and electricity exchange prices are low. The effects of this control system on user behaviour and the savings that can be achieved are being investigated as part of a pilot project with netgo GmbH, which has rented 20 parking spaces with charging stations in the building.  For this purpose, Vattenfall has set up an interface to the EEX electricity…

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Housing association secures funding for the creation of 200 new affordable homes in Harrogate

Stuart Mitchell

Harrogate Housing Association has raised £15m of new loan funding from Triodos Bank UK. The loan facility will enable the association to develop a further 200 homes to add to its existing portfolio of just over 300 homes in and around Harrogate. The new homes will all have energy performance certificate (EPC) ratings of B or above, with some properties generating renewable energy through air source heat pumps and solar panels. This will allow customers to benefit from energy bill savings, as well as providing wider environmental benefits.   Harrogate…

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CAP – Designed to Persuade – Dark Patterns and the Code

Stuart Mitchell

The ASA/CAP have released a post called: Designed to Persuade – Dark Patterns and the Code. I have enclosed the text of the link below, but please have a look at the ASA/CAP site as there are lots of things of interest to anyone with an interest in Ethical Marketing. Sometimes referred to as ‘Online Choice Architecture’ or ‘Deceptive Design Patterns,’ Dark Patterns are a range of design decisions implemented to manipulate consumer behaviour in online spaces. There is concern that these practices cross the line beyond persuasion by exploiting…

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