United Kingdom: Consumer Trading & Unfair Trading

The Advertising Standards Authority has tightened its enforcement on "clinically proven" beauty claims, requiring brands to substantiate such assertions with rigorous clinical trials rather than consumer use tests.

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has launched formal investigations into eight companies over potentially misleading pricing practices, including hidden fees, fake countdown timers, and pre-selected extras. With new powers to impose fines up to 10% of global turnover without court proceedings, the CMA is signaling a major shift in how online pricing compliance will be enforced across all industries.

The ASA upheld the two complaints, one of which came from a chimney sweep, finding that the Council had failed to substantiate the direct causal link between the use of wood burners and open fires...

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Ticketmaster for potential consumer law breaches, focusing on its "dynamic pricing" practices for Oasis tour tickets. The CMA is reviewing transparency, fair practices, and compliance.

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 will be implemented in phases. Parts 1, 2, and 5 will begin by early 2025, focusing on competition regulations. Parts 3 and 4, covering consumer protection, will follow in April 2025, with subscription reforms starting in 2026.

Oasis ticket sales faced issues with dynamic pricing, leading to complaints about higher-than-advertised costs and long online waits. This raises concerns about consumer protection and secondary ticketing markets.

It is estimated that £23 billion of online purchases of goods and service every year are potentially influenced by online reviews.

The High Court recently handed down judgement in the claim brought by the Competition & Markets Authority ("CMA") against Care UK.

Businesses which make claims about their ‘green' credentials in order to promote products or services need to ensure, more than ever before, that they do not fall foul of consumer legislation.