United Kingdom: Consumer Law

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has launched three new drip pricing investigations targeting Trainline, Virgin Atlantic, and RED Driving School, marking an escalation in its enforcement campaign against businesses that fail to display full prices upfront to consumers.

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has launched three additional investigations into hidden fees, intensifying its enforcement campaign against drip pricing practices.

The Competition and Markets Authority has intensified its enforcement against drip pricing and misleading price presentation, securing nearly £2 million in consumer refunds and imposing almost £6.2 million in fines since new powers took effect. With three new investigations launched—including one into Trainline—businesses face heightened scrutiny over how they present mandatory fees and charges to consumers.

The High Court has rejected the CMA's proposed 1:2 fixed volume requirement for reference pricing, ruling that low sales volumes at a higher price do not automatically render discount claims misleading. While Emma Sleep admitted specific breaches of consumer protection law, the Court held that compliance depends on a holistic assessment including the retailer's genuine belief in achieving sales at the reference price, rather than a rigid sales ratio.

The much-delayed subscription provisions in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 are expected to come into force in the spring of 2027. The Act gives consumers new rights to clear information before they sign up for a subscription, and to receive regular reminders, particularly before trials or contracts of 12 months or more auto-renew.

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has transformed consumer enforcement in its first year under new powers, moving with unprecedented speed to impose millions in fines and order substantial refunds across multiple sectors. From drip pricing in driving schools to hidden fees on ticket platforms and unfair parking charges, the CMA is demonstrating that consumer protection violations now carry serious financial consequences—with liability extending beyond consumer-facing subsidiaries to parent co

Expert insights for navigating the big trends and key issues redefining the global consumer sector. From rampant digitisation and supply chain reinvention to sustainability and geopolitical factors...

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 has introduced sweeping changes to consumer protection law, granting the CMA unprecedented enforcement powers including the ability to impose multi-million-pound fines directly. With the regulator already launching a market study into private dentistry and conducting spot checks across consumer-facing websites, dental practices face heightened scrutiny across pricing transparency, subscription contracts, online reviews and patient-facing terms. How sho

Geraint Lloyd-Taylor and Brinsley Dresden examine the most significant advertising and marketing law developments from the first half of 2026, covering regulatory changes from the CMA and ASA, social media restrictions, AI governance, and pricing enforcement actions. The discussion explores how these developments impact advertisers, marketers, and brands operating in the UK market.