Suzanne Jackson’s Own Brand Posts Draw Regulator’s Scrutiny

DUBLIN (Azat TV) – Irish beauty influencer Suzanne Jackson has been issued a compliance notice by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) for failing to clearly disclose the commercial nature of posts promoting her SOSU Cosmetics brand on Instagram. The directive, which took effect on December 5, 2024, mandates that Jackson, who commands nearly 300,000 followers, must explicitly label all future paid promotions, including those for her own products, to ensure consumer transparency.

The CCPC’s action follows an audit of Jackson’s social media account, which identified several instances where content promoting SOSU Cosmetics was not adequately marked as commercial. The compliance order specifically cited posts made between December 4, 2024, and February 26, 2025. These included promotional content for a ‘Masterclass Night’ at Dunnes Stores in Limerick, a general post captioned ‘And that’s a wrap,’ a collaboration with makeup artist Paula Callan hinting at 2025 plans, and an announcement about ‘NEW @sosucosmetics on the way,’ according to details released by the CCPC.

CCPC Findings and Disclosure Requirements

The regulatory body determined that Cohar Ltd, the operating company for SOSU Cosmetics solely owned by Jackson, had directly or indirectly paid her to promote its products. Despite this commercial arrangement, Jackson had not made it clear to her audience that these were paid promotions, either within the content itself or through any visual or descriptive representation. The CCPC emphasized that this practice constituted a ‘prohibited commercial practice by using editorial content in the media to promote a product (where a trade has paid for that promotion).’

To rectify this, the compliance notice requires Jackson to amend the four posts in question and to adopt clear and appropriate primary disclosure labels moving forward. The CCPC explicitly advised the use of labels such as ‘Ad’ or ‘#Ad’ for all commercial content. While secondary labels like ‘Own Brand’ or ‘#OwnBrand’ are permitted, they must be used in conjunction with primary disclosures to avoid ambiguity. This directive underscores the commission’s focus on ensuring that consumers can easily distinguish between genuine editorial content and paid advertising, regardless of whether the promotion is for a third-party brand or the influencer’s own.

Broader Enforcement Against Undisclosed Advertising

Suzanne Jackson is not the only high-profile figure to face regulatory action from the CCPC. Mixed martial artist and entrepreneur Conor McGregor also received a similar compliance order concerning posts promoting his Forged Irish Stout brand, where he similarly failed to disclose the paid nature of his promotions. These actions are part of a broader enforcement drive by the CCPC, which has issued a total of 18 enforcement orders recently, targeting various sectors for non-compliance with consumer protection laws.

Beyond influencers, the CCPC’s recent actions have included issuing fixed payment notices to forecourt retailer Circle K for failing to display product prices, and reprimanding other retailers like Flannels, Leavy’s Centra, and Eurogiant for similar infractions. The Dublin Mint Office received compliance notices for unfair contract terms and misleading website information, while the owners of three Dublin pubs—The Auld Dubliner, Fitzsimons Temple Bar, and Dakota Bar—were cited for not displaying price lists.

Ensuring Consumer Rights and Future Compliance

Patrick Kenny, a representative of the CCPC, reiterated the commission’s commitment to upholding consumer rights across the economy. ‘Whether you’re a retailer, a publican or an influencer, you must comply with consumer law,’ Kenny stated. He highlighted that CCPC officers conduct hundreds of in-store and online inspections, sweeps, and investigations annually to assess thousands of products and transactions. Kenny also issued a stern warning that the CCPC teams would be actively monitoring compliance by these traders, and any failure to obey a compliance notice would be considered an offense, leading to prosecution.

The recent compliance order against Suzanne Jackson, alongside other high-profile cases, marks a significant escalation in regulatory efforts to enforce transparency in digital advertising, particularly within the burgeoning influencer marketing industry. This move signals a clear expectation from authorities that personal branding and commercial interests must be distinctly separated for consumers, establishing a precedent for accountability that extends to creators promoting their own ventures.