1About these standards

1.1These Editorial Standards set out the principles that govern how Merch Mates (“we”, “us”, “our”) researches, writes, publishes and corrects content on merchmates.co.uk (the “Site”).

1.2Merch Mates is an independent publication based in the United Kingdom, founded in 2021 and operated by George Patient, Founder and Lead Editor. It is not owned, funded or directed by any studio, publisher, brand or platform.

1.3These standards apply to all editorial content on the Site and should be read alongside our Terms of Use, Affiliate Disclosure and Privacy Policy.

2Editorial independence

2.1All editorial decisions, including what we cover, how we cover it and the opinions we express, are made by Merch Mates alone.

2.2No brand, studio, publisher, agency or public relations representative may review, edit or approve an article before it is published.

2.3Where a third party permits us to use their images, we may share an article with them before publication solely so they can confirm their images are used appropriately. They may request changes to how their images are used, but not to the content or opinions of the article.

2.4Coverage, whether positive or negative, cannot be bought.

2.5Where we cover a person, business or product with which we have a personal or financial connection, we disclose that connection in the article.

3Review copies, gifts and hosted travel

3.1We may accept review copies, gifted products, invitations to press screenings and events, and hosted travel.

3.2Where an article relates to anything provided free of charge, we disclose it in a statement at the top of the article identifying the provider and confirming that they had no influence over our coverage.

3.3Accepting a review copy, gift, invitation or hosted travel creates no obligation to publish coverage and does not influence our opinions or ratings.

4Advertising, sponsorship and affiliate links

4.1The Site does not currently display third-party advertising.

4.2Paid or sponsored content is clearly labelled as such before the reader begins the article.

4.3Articles containing affiliate links are labelled “Ad” at the top of the article. We may earn a commission on purchases made through those links, at no additional cost to the reader.

4.4Commercial relationships do not influence our editorial opinions or recommendations. Further detail is set out in our Affiliate Disclosure.

5Use of artificial intelligence

5.1We may use AI tools to assist with research, planning and editing, and to produce the short summaries at the top of most of our articles.

5.2Every article is written and fact-checked by us, based on our own reporting and opinions, before it is published.

5.3We do not use AI-generated images.

6Accuracy and fact-checking

6.1We take care to ensure that the information we publish is accurate and not misleading.

6.2Facts are checked against official announcements, primary sources and reputable publications before publication.

6.3Opinions in reviews, rankings and commentary are those of the author at the time of writing and are presented as opinion.

7Reviews and ratings

7.1Reviews are scored out of 10 and reflect the honest opinion of the reviewer at the time of writing. What each score means is set out in our Review Scoring guide.

7.2Scores are not shared with studios, publishers or their representatives before publication, and are not changed at their request.

7.3Where a review is based on a review copy, screening or other access provided free of charge, this is disclosed in accordance with clause 3.2.

8Spoilers

8.1Articles that discuss significant plot details carry a spoiler warning at the top of the article.

8.2Headlines and article summaries do not reveal major plot details.

9Corrections and updates

9.1Where a significant factual error is identified, we correct it promptly and record the correction in a dated “Changes” list at the bottom of the article, stating what was changed.

9.2Minor amendments, such as typographical errors, formatting and broken links, are made without a correction notice.

9.3Where an article is updated with new information, the “Updated” date at the top of the article is revised accordingly.

9.4We do not remove published articles on request, except where required by law or where a request is upheld under our Copyright and Takedown Notice.

10Sources and attribution

10.1We report from official announcements, press materials, studio newsrooms and other reputable sources, and credit images to their source wherever possible.

10.2Film and television data is sourced from The Movie Database (TMDB), streaming availability from JustWatch and Disney Parks wait times from Queue-Times.com. Merch Mates is not endorsed by or affiliated with these services.

11Feedback and complaints

11.1We welcome feedback on our coverage. Correction requests and complaints should be sent to contact@merchmates.co.uk, identifying the article and the issue.

11.2We aim to respond within two to three working days.