Landmark new consumer protection provisions are now in force under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA), giving the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) the ability to deliver more effective consumer protection.
The CMA will now be able to decide whether consumer protection laws have been infringed (rather than litigating through the courts) and to tackle any breaches directly and proportionately, including through consumer redress and fines.
The new regime will help the CMA to safeguard consumer interests while also enhancing trust - which supports spending and the adoption of new products and services across the economy. The CMA also emphasised the importance of fostering a level playing field for fair-dealing businesses - so they can grow and invest, confident that competitors cannot gain an advantage by breaking the law. Both of these ambitions reflect the contribution consumer protection can make to economic growth, as laid out in the government’s strategic steer to the CMA.