Regulatory enforcement of consumer protection law in the UK is changing, even if the UK won’t be implementing the EU’s New Deal for Consumers (New Deal). Enhancements to existing laws are set to give the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) more tools that it can use to encourage – or force – businesses to comply. 

Currently the CMA’s powers are relatively limited when it comes to consumer enforcement (compared to those available to privacy and competition regulators, for instance). Whilst the future is uncertain, recent action taken by the CMA indicates an increased willingness on the part of the regulator to take interventionist (and in some cases, aggressive) action. 

In this article we draw on our experience engaging with the CMA on consumer protection matters – and consider how changes to the legislative framework and leadership at the CMA are likely to impact its approach.

Regulators have extensive resources at their disposal to enforce compliance with their laws and guidance – and an increasing number of companies conduct activities which are regulated, from data processing to selling to consumers. This article sets out our top tips for developing a constructive and effective global strategy for engaging with regulators.

The European Commission’s New Deal for Consumers (New Deal) is a package of reforms that seeks to enhance existing consumer protection legislation and improve the ability of individuals and regulators to bring enforcement action where traders fail to comply. Traders that target consumers in the EU have two years to…