United Kingdom: Published CMA Annual Plan 2023 to 2024 including consumer protection regulation

On 23 March 2023, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published its Annual Plan for 2023 to 2024. The Annual Plan outlines the CMA’s areas of focus for 2023/2024, which include, among others, addressing pressure selling and false or misleading pricing practices, including through online choice architecture. In particular, the CMA plans to combat misleading practices by continuing with the “Online Rip-Off Tip-Off” campaign. It will also do more work to help protect people from exploitative practices, including through a programme of consumer enforcement work focused on online choice architecture (OCA), the term used to describe the environment in which people act online, including the presentation and placement of choices and the design of websites, apps and devices. Other actions include tackling online selling practices such as pressure selling tactics.