Annex A: consultation and analysis methodology (web accessible version)
Updated 2 April 2026
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Consultation methodology
The consultation ran from 18 November 2024 to 10 February 2025. The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) engaged with stakeholders through a series of roundtables, virtual meetings, and via email to ensure a diverse range of views were gathered from different sectors. We received 75 responses from different types of stakeholder groups, detailed in Table 1.
We heard from representatives from a range of sectors including those operating in the areas of:
- digital technology
- gaming
- publishing
- film and TV
- media
- museums and heritage
- health and fitness
We also heard from enforcers of consumer law such as regulators and trading standards, and law firms.
Table 1: breakdown of stakeholder responses
| Stakeholder category | Number of responses |
|---|---|
| Individual consumer | 4 |
| Consumer advocacy organisation | 2 |
| Business | 27 |
| Trade association | 13 |
| Representative membership body (charity) | 3 |
| Charity | 13 |
| Enforcement authority | 3 |
| Law firm | 4 |
| Academic lawyer | 1 |
| Anonymous | 5 |
| Total responses | 75 |
Respondents to the consultation included:
- the Association Chief Trading Standards Officers and National Trading Standards
- Consumer Scotland
- Eversheds Sutherland LLP
- UkActive
- the Chartered Institute of Fundraising and Finance
- the Online Dating Association
Analysis methodology
The consultation received 75 substantive responses from a range of stakeholders as set out in Table 1. The online submission portal saw a significant number of responses that were blank with no identifying data or completed with random text. These responses have been checked for relevant information, and where there was no response provided, discounted from the total of completed responses.
Written consultation responses were analysed using mixed methods. Closed components of questions were analysed with standard 2 choice and multiple-choice quantitative techniques. Open-ended components of questions were reviewed to draw out common perspectives among the respondents.
In analysing the responses to the consultation, we have applied the following criteria as to how they have been counted as part of the summary of responses:
The ‘number of responses’ calculations in this section are based on the number of responses we received to the quantitative part of the relevant question. It is possible that we received some additional qualitative responses where:
-
respondents answered any of the questions to the consultation. Even if this was only one question, these have been counted as responses to this consultation
-
respondents to the consultation only provided their name and/or email address and did not answer any questions posed in the consultation these have not been counted as responses
-
respondents to the consultation input random data in response to questions (most commonly random letters that do not form words). These responses have been discounted
-
the quantitative analysis has been performed on the responses to the quantitative elements of the consultation questions only
There are many questions in this consultation where respondents chose to answer one specific area of interest and then leave the other questions relating to different topics unanswered. Therefore, for each question, the government response will set out how many of the total 75 respondents to the consultation returned a response to each question.
For the purpose of any percentages provided in the government response, where respondents have indicated support for a proposal they have been counted as ‘agree’, and where respondents have indicated opposition they are counted as ‘disagree’.
Where respondents propose something different to the government proposal, or provide a response that is unable to be scored as supporting or opposing the question, they are marked as other. ‘I don’t know’ and ‘Not applicable’ responses are included as valid responses for a consultation question. All blank responses are marked as no answer and are discounted from percentage calculations.
Percentages may not total 100% when added up, as percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole number.
This document provides a summary of the consultation responses received and the government response. It does not attempt to capture every point made in submissions to the consultation, nor does it cover comments on aspects of policy that fall outside the scope of this consultation. This document sets out how the government intends to take forward the regulatory proposals described in the consultation or alternative approaches and explains why.
We have provided a high-level statistical summary of responses to questions where relevant. Summaries of the positions raised in response to this consultation are not exhaustive and set out the most common and pertinent positions raised in response to the consultation questions and government proposals.