Suzanne Jackson served compliance order over social activity
Beauty influencer Suzanne Jackson has been issued with a compliance notice by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) for failing to the disclose the commercial nature of some of her posts on Instagram.
Jackson, who has nearly 300,000 followers on the platform, was censured following an audit of her account, which found she had failed to use appropriate labels in relation to content promoting her brand, SOSU Cosmetics.
The CCPC served the compliance notice, which took effect on 5 December and directed her to make clear when future posts are paid promotions.
The compliance order states that between 4 December 2024 and 26 February 2025 Jacons engaged in "a prohibited commercial practice by using editorial content in the media to promote a product (where a trade has paid for that promotion".
Furthermore, the watchdog said that Jackson had "not made clear that the promotion was a paid promotion, whether in the content itself or in any oral, written, visual or descriptive representation in the promotion."
The orders specifically relates to posts promoting Jackson's company, SOSU Cosmetics.
The CCPC states that Cohar Ltd, the SOSU Cosmetics operating company solely owned by Jackson, paid her either directly or indirectly to promote its products, and that Jackson failed to "clearly and appropriately disclose that promotion is a paid promotion".
The notice, which was sent to Jackson in November, makes reference to four posts from Jackon's account:
A post by @sosueme_ie promoting SOSU Cosmetics with the caption “Masterclass Night@dunnesstores in Limerick!”; dated 4 December 2024.
A post by @sosueme_ie promoting SOSU Cosmetics with the caption “And that’s a wrap”; dated 5 December 2024.
A post by @sosueme_ie in collaboration with @paula_callan_makeup with the caption “with the @sosucosmetics army behind us…2025 is bright”; dated 31 December 2024.
A post by @sosueme_ie with the caption “Today was exciting! NEW @sosucosmetics on the way”; dated 26 February 2025.
The compliance order came into effect on 5 December, by which time Jackson was expected to have amended the four posts in question and to start disclosing future paid promotions.
This includes content promoting your “own brand” products and services," the CCPC said in the letter.
"You may achieve this by using clear and appropriate primary disclosure labels such as ‘Ad’ or ‘#Ad’. Using secondary disclosure labels such as ‘Own Brand’ or ‘#OwnBrand’, in addition to primary disclosure labels, is at your own discretion."
Conor McGregor was also served with a compliance order in relation to posts promoting his Forged Irish Stout brand, and the CCPC has issued a total of 18 enforcement orders recently.
Among them were three fixed payment notices sent to forecourt retailer Circle K for failing to display product prices. Similarly, Flannels in Cok, Leavy's Centra in Tullamore and Eurogiant in Letterkenny were also reprimanded for failing to display prices.
The Dublin Mint Office was served with three compliance notices relating to unfair contract terms over misleading information on its website.
The owners of three Dublin pubs, The Auld Dubliner, Fitzsimons Temple Bar and Dakota Bar, were all issued with compliance notices for failing to display a price list.
"Whether you’re a retailer, a publican or an influencer, you must comply with consumer law," said Patrick Kenny of the CCPC.
Circle K locations were served with fixed payment notices (Pic: Circle K)
"Our officers carry out hundreds of instore and online inspections, sweeps and investigations every year, assessing thousands of products and transactions to make sure consumer rights are upheld across the economy.
"CCPC teams will be actively monitoring compliance by these traders. Failure to obey a compliance notice is an offence, and we will prosecute those who do not correct their practices."
Photo: Suzanne Jackson. (Pic: Brian McEvoy)
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