United Kingdom: Competition and Markets Authority opened investigation into Appliances Direct concerning alleged automation of purchases and time-limited sales

On 17 November, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened an investigation into online household appliance retailer Appliances Direct concerning alleged automation of purchases and time-limited sales. Specifically, the CMA is evaluating whether Appliances Direct's customers are being automatically opted in to purchasing additional services, and whether its time-limited sales end at the advertised time. The investigation is carried out under the CMA's consumer protection enforcement powers under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.