UK targets fake discounts, sets 2027 curb on subscription traps
What's next: ministers will consult on adding bogus price claims to banned practices, while tougher cancellation rules start in January 2027.
Britain’s government moved to tighten consumer protections after Prime Minister Andy Burnham set out plans to ban misleading retail discounts and make subscriptions easier to cancel. The proposed crackdown would cover tactics such as fake previous prices, invented markdowns and misleading recommended retail prices, with ministers opening a consultation on whether to add them to practices already barred under existing law. Separately, from January 2027, businesses will have to give clearer up-front terms, send regular reminders and provide easier exits from renewing contracts. A new 14-day cooling-off period would let customers cancel after a trial or after a long-term contract renews.