Laws and regulation covering the promotional activities of businesses JOE AND COURTSSS (:

External constraints on promotional activities origionate outside the business. They are usually beyond the direct control of the business, but can still affect the promotional plans. In the main external constraints are designed to protect society and individuals from being offended, cheated, misled or exploited by promotional activty.
REGULATIONS
Regulations involve things like rules, instructions and requirements. There are important regulators in the promotion industry. These organisations constrain marketing plans as they regulate broadcasts media and other advertising media.

The office of communications (Ofcom)
This is UK's communications industry regulator. Ofcom inherited the duties of the five existing regulators it replaced - broadcasting standards commissions, the independent television commission, oftel, the radio authority and the radiocommunications.
The comitee of advertising practise (CAP) The comittee of advertising practise publishes the british code of advertising, sales promotion and direct marketing. This is the rule book for none broadcast advertisements, sales promotion and directt marketing communications.
The Advertising Standard Authority
This is an independent bodyset up by the advertisement industry to police codes, such as CAP code and the radio code.since 2004 it has also been responsible for the regulation of broadcast advertising.

LEGISLATIONSThere is a great deal of legislation that could affect promotional plans. Most of this legislations has dresulted from the objective of protecting consumers. The trading standards central website is a good place to investigate to get some idea on just how much legislations excist to protect consumers that could affect business and could constrain promotion.

Business activity	Effect
CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT 1987	Prohibits the supply of goods no it accordance with the general safety requirement or are unsafe, and provides for the safety and protection of consumers by enabling regulations or orders to be made controlling consumer goods.
DATA PROTECTION ACT 1998	Affects the collection, storage and use of personal and financial data.
SALES OF GOOD S ACT 1979, SALES AND SUPLLY OF GOODS ACT 1994 AND SALES FOR GOODS ACT 1995	Details the rights of purchases and the duties of sellers in the sale of goods.
SUPPLY OF GOODS AND SERVICE ACTS 1982	Details the rights of purchasers and the duties of suppliers of services.
TRADE DESCRIPTIONS ACT 1968	Prohibits the misdiscriptions on the supply of goods and prohibits false claims for services, accommodation and facilities.