Autotrader: consumer protection enforcement case
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating Autotrader Limited’s (‘Autotrader’) compliance with the law on unfair commercial practices under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCC Act) in relation to publishing consumer reviews and consumer review information like star ratings.
Case timetable
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| March 2026 to September 2026 | Initial investigation: information and evidence gathering (next case update September 2026) |
| 26 March 2026 | Investigation opened |
Case opening
26 March 2026: The CMA has opened an investigation into Autotrader’s compliance with consumer protection law.
The CMA is investigating whether a number of 1-star reviews – which were moderated by Feefo Limited – were not published on Autotrader’s platform, and were not counted towards star ratings, therefore denying consumers a fully rounded picture of other customers’ experiences.
The CMA will now engage with Autotrader and gather evidence to consider whether the CMA thinks Autotrader has infringed consumer protection law.
At this initial stage, it should not be assumed that Autotrader has infringed consumer protection law and no finding has been made.
- Press release: Fake and misleading reviews: 5 businesses under CMA investigation (27.3.26)
Contacts
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Laila Benfaida, Assistant Director
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Jon Riley, Director
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Hayley Fletcher, Senior Responsible Officer
Personal information
Your name and contact details are your personal data. The CMA may collect, use and share personal data for its consumer protection investigation under Part 3 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. This includes processing personal data for the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018.
For more information about how the CMA handles personal information, please see our personal information charter.