New UK Consumer Laws 2025: What's Changed and How It Helps You

Major changes to UK consumer law came into force in April 2025, giving you more protection than ever. Here's what's changed and how it affects your rights.

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act

On 6th April 2025, the DMCC Act transformed UK consumer protection. The biggest changes in years.

What's New

#### Direct CMA Enforcement

Previously, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) had to go to court to enforce consumer law. Now they can:

Investigate directly without court approval
Impose fines up to 10% of global turnover
Order businesses to change practices
Award consumer compensation

This means faster action against rogue businesses.

#### Drip Pricing Ban

You know when you see a cheap price, go to checkout, and find hidden fees added? That's now banned.

Companies must now show the full price upfront, including:

Mandatory fees
Non-optional add-ons
Service charges
Booking fees

The only acceptable late additions are truly optional extras you actively choose.

#### Fake Reviews Crackdown

New rules make it illegal to:

Submit fake reviews (or pay for them)
Conceal paid/incentivised reviews without disclosure
Selectively show reviews that mislead (only showing positive ones)
Suppress negative reviews without good reason
Offer fake review services

Platforms must take "reasonable steps" to prevent fake reviews.

Coming in Spring 2026: Subscription Rules

Even bigger changes for subscriptions arrive in Spring 2026.

One-Click Cancellation

Cancellation must be as easy as signing up. If you can subscribe in two clicks, you must be able to cancel in two clicks.

No more:

Mandatory phone calls to cancel
Hidden cancellation processes
Endless retention attempts
Multiple confirmation steps

Pre-Renewal Reminders

Before any auto-renewal, companies must:

Send you a clear reminder
Tell you exactly what you'll be charged
Explain how to cancel
Give you enough time to decide

Cooling-Off After Renewal

New cooling-off period after each renewal, so you can cancel shortly after a renewal if you've changed your mind.

Minimum Contract Information

Clearer information before you sign up:

Full cost breakdown
Contract length
Renewal terms
Cancellation process

Enhanced Consumer Rights

Misleading Claims

The rules on misleading commercial practices are now stronger:

Environmental claims ("eco-friendly") must be provable
Price comparisons must be fair and accurate
Urgency claims ("Only 2 left!") must be genuine
Reviews and endorsements must be authentic

Prepayment Protections

Stronger protections when you pay upfront:

Clear information about what's protected
Better information about risks
Clearer cancellation rights

What This Means for You

Shopping Online

Clearer pricing - No surprise fees at checkout
Trustworthy reviews - Better confidence in what you read
Fairer subscriptions - Easier to cancel, harder for them to trap you

Making Complaints

Faster resolutions - CMA can act more quickly
Stronger enforcement - Bigger penalties mean companies take complaints seriously
More compensation - CMA can now order compensation directly

Fighting Back

When companies break these rules, you have:

Direct complaint to CMA for widespread issues
Individual legal rights to compensation
Stronger evidence from CMA investigations

CMA Priority Areas

The CMA has signalled these sectors for early enforcement:

Travel (especially airlines and booking sites)
Online entertainment (streaming subscriptions)
Housing (letting agents, property sales)
Drip pricing across all sectors
Fake reviews on major platforms

If you've had problems in these areas, now is the time to complain.

What Hasn't Changed

Your existing rights remain:

Consumer Rights Act 2015 - Faulty goods, services, digital content
Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 - 14-day online returns
Section 75 - Credit card protection
Chargeback - Card payment reversals

The new laws add to these existing protections.

How to Use These New Rights

If You've Been Drip Priced

Don't complete the purchase
Complain to the company
Report to CMA if widespread practice
Claim back any overcharges via Section 75 or chargeback

If You Suspect Fake Reviews

Report suspicious reviews to the platform
Report the business to CMA
If you relied on fake reviews and lost money, you may have a claim

If You Can't Cancel a Subscription

Note that one-click cancellation rules come in Spring 2026. Until then:

Document the difficulty
Complain formally to the company
Cancel your Direct Debit if they won't process cancellation
Report to CMA

Reporting Breaches

To the CMA

Report widespread unfair practices at: gov.uk/cma-cases

To Trading Standards

Report via Citizens Advice: citizensadvice.org.uk

To Your Local Council

Many councils have consumer protection teams.

Timeline of Changes

Date	What Happens

April 2025	Main DMCC provisions in force
April 2025	CMA direct enforcement powers active
April 2025	Drip pricing and fake reviews rules live
Spring 2026	Subscription contract rules expected

Take Action

These new laws only work if consumers use them. Report breaches, make complaints, and don't accept unfair treatment. Use our tools to generate complaint letters that reference the latest consumer protection regulations.