UK Consumer Protection: What’s Changing in 2026 and Why It Matters to You

If you buy goods or services, whether online or in person, you might have noticed more talk about your rights as a consumer. That’s because the way UK consumer law is enforced and what protections you enjoy has recently changed, with more updates coming this year.

Here’s what you should know:

1) Stronger Enforcement Powers for the CMA

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) now has greater powers to enforce consumer law directly.

Previously, serious enforcement often required court action, but under the new regime the CMA can investigate and issue penalties on businesses for breaking consumer protections, and fines can be very large (up to 10% of a company’s global turnover in some cases).

For you, that means regulators can act faster and more robustly when businesses mislead shoppers or break the rules.

2) Clearer Rules Around Pricing and Hidden Fees

As part of these changes:

• Practices like “drip pricing” (showing a low price then adding extra unavoidable charges later) are now more clearly challenged by law.

• The CMA is actively reviewing pricing across different sectors to crack down on unfair or misleading online pricing.

• This makes it easier for you to understand what you’re really paying and eliminates surprises at checkout.

3) Subscription Contracts and Digital Terms on the Horizon

Some changes to subscription contracts, like automatic renewals and cancellation rights, are expected to take effect in spring 2026, giving consumers better protections around ongoing digital or service agreements.

For example, this could affect memberships, software subscriptions, and similar services, increasing transparency around automatic renewals and how you cancel them.

4) What This Means for You

These changes strengthen your rights when:

• You’re shopping online or comparing prices.

• You’re signing up for or cancelling a subscription.

• You feel you’ve been misled by a business’s advertising or pricing.

• You’re considering a complaint about a purchase.

In practice, it means better protection, more transparency, and stronger enforcement when businesses don’t treat you fairly.