Treating customers fairly when selling online
How the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is helping businesses to comply with the law, and using its new powers to tackle poor online pricing practices.
Using new powers under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act, the CMA has opened investigations into 8 businesses that it suspects may have broken consumer law with their online pricing and sales practices, including ‘drip pricing’ and pressure selling.
The CMA has also published guidance to help businesses comply with the law on price transparency and optional charges. It is also writing to 100 businesses to outline concerns about their use of additional fees and some online sales tactics.
Read the press release: CMA launches major consumer protection drive focused on online pricing practices
View the infographic: The CMA’s action on online pricing and sales tactics
Sign up for the webinar on 10 December for an overview of the new price transparency guidance for businesses.
Find out how the CMA uses its direct consumer enforcement powers.
Investigations
The CMA has opened investigations into 8 businesses it suspects may have infringed consumer law in relation to their:
- use of fees
- use of misleading time-limited offers
- practice of automatically opting consumers in for optional charges
Guidance
The CMA has published guidance to help businesses:
- understand the law on unfair commercial practices
- understand the rules on price transparency
- get customers’ consent for optional charges