United Kingdom: Consumer Law

Food allergy deaths remain preventable tragedies despite recent legal reforms in the UK. This analysis examines three critical pieces of legislation—Benedict's Law, Natasha's Law, and the proposed Owen's Law—revealing how each addresses specific gaps in allergy safety across schools, retail, and hospitality sectors, while highlighting the fragmented protections that still leave vulnerable individuals at risk depending on where and how food is served.

The High Court has rejected the Financial Ombudsman Service's attempt to investigate consumer complaints about lending decisions made more than six years before complaints were raised, providing critical clarity on time limits for FOS complaints. This landmark decision saw unprecedented intervention by the FCA in support of the banks and arrives amid substantial reform to UK consumer financial services law through the Financial Services and Markets Bill.

The UK Competition and Markets Authority has exercised its new consumer enforcement fining powers for the first time under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, targeting AA and BSM Driving Schools for unlawful drip pricing practices. This landmark case reveals the CMA's five-step penalty framework and highlights critical distinctions between consumer and competition law fines that will shape enforcement strategies across UK markets.

A UK-based dog food subscription service, Years, has issued a voluntary recall of its fresh meals after nearly 200 dogs developed sudden bilateral dry eye following a recipe change that introduced buckwheat. The company is investigating whether contamination in its buckwheat supply may be linked to the reported cases, while affected pet owners explore potential compensation claims for veterinary costs and related damages.

English Whisky has achieved protected Geographical Indication status, joining Scotch, Welsh and Irish whiskies as a recognised category. This new protection has significant implications for trade mark applications at the UK Intellectual Property Office, as marks containing 'English Whisky' or 'English Whiskey' will now face absolute grounds for refusal objections unless they comply with the GI specifications.

New legislation effective 15 September 2026 allows licensed premises in the UK to accept digital proof of age for alcohol sales, modernising identity verification processes. Operators must navigate updated mandatory conditions, review existing premises licences, and consider staff training requirements before implementing digital age verification systems.

The EU's Green Transition Directive introduces sweeping new rules on greenwashing, sustainability claims, and product durability that will impact all businesses selling to EU consumers from September 2026. With banned practices, mandatory pre-contractual disclosures, and new labelling requirements, companies must act now to audit their environmental claims and ensure compliance across both physical and digital channels.

The EU's Right to Repair Directive, which entered into force on 31 July 2026, introduces comprehensive measures to encourage product repair and extend consumer goods' lifespan as part of the bloc's circular economy strategy. Alongside the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation and the Green Transition Directive, these reforms impose new obligations on manufacturers, importers, and distributors to make products more durable and repairable while providing enhanced consumer information about repair opti

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