Consumer protection in the United Kingdom is effected through a multiplicity of Acts of Parliament, statutory instruments, the work of various government agencies and departments, and citizens' lobby groups. It aims to ensure the

market economy A market economy is an economic system in which the decisions regarding investment, production, and distribution to the consumers are guided by the price signals created by the forces of supply and demand. The major characteristic of a mark ...

produces fairness and quality in the goods and services people buy. The main areas of regulating consumer affairs include: *fairer terms in contracts for goods and services, by declaring surprising and onerous terms as unfair *product safety regulation, to ensure people cannot purchase goods that are potentially harmful *

financial regulation Financial regulation is a broad set of policies that apply to the financial sector in most jurisdictions, justified by two main features of finance: systemic risk, which implies that the failure of financial firms involves public interest consi ...

, to ensure access to credit is cheaper, and people fully understand the obligations they have when taking loans *stronger competition in the

private sector The private sector is the part of the economy which is owned by private groups, usually as a means of establishment for profit or non profit, rather than being owned by the government. Employment The private sector employs most of the workfo ...

, through breaking up

cartel A cartel is a group of independent market participants who collaborate with each other as well as agreeing not to compete with each other in order to improve their profits and dominate the market. A cartel is an organization formed by producers ...

s, dismantling monopolies, and unwinding some mergers.

History

The Department of Prices and Consumer Protection was established in 1974. This was the first time a government department's title made reference to consumer protection. In 2011 Consumer Minister Edward Davey announced plans within a policy document called ''Better Choices, Better Deals: Consumers Powering Growth'' to ensure that businesses would provide key information to their customers on how they use and buy goods and services, aiming to help consumers secure the best deals possible, and to make business more dynamic in response. The government considered this to offer "a radical new approach" to consumer

empowerment Empowerment is the degree of autonomy and self-determination in people and in communities. This enables them to represent their interests in a responsible and self-determined way, acting on their own authority. It is the process of becoming strong ...

. The

Financial Conduct Authority The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is a financial regulatory body in the United Kingdom. It operates independently of the UK Government and is financed by charging fees to members of the financial services industry. The FCA regulates financi ...

and the

Competition and Markets Authority The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is the principal competition regulator in the United Kingdom. It is a non-ministerial government department in the United Kingdom, responsible for promoting competitive markets and tackling unfair beh ...

were both set up in 2013 and enforce many consumer laws and regulations in the United Kingdom across a variety of industries. *The

, formerly the

Financial Services Authority The Financial Services Authority (FSA) was a quasi-judicial body accountable for the regulation of the financial services industry in the United Kingdom between 2001 and 2013. It was founded as the Securities and Investments Board (SIB) in 1985 ...

. *

, formerly the

Competition Commission The Competition Commission was a non-departmental public body responsible for investigating mergers, markets and other enquiries related to regulated industries under competition law in the United Kingdom. It was a competition regulator under t ...

and the

Office of Fair Trading The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) was a non-ministerial government department of the United Kingdom, established by the Fair Trading Act 1973, which enforced both consumer protection and competition law, acting as the United Kingdom's economi ...

. *

Bank of England The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694 to act as the Kingdom of England, English Government's banker and debt manager, and still one ...

. The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 introduced a definition of the term "consumer" as "an individual acting for purposes which are wholly or mainly outside that individual's trade, business, craft or profession".

Consumer advocacy groups

The

Enterprise Act 2002 The Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which made major changes to UK competition law with respect to mergers and also changed the law governing insolvency bankruptcy. It made cartels illegal with a ma ...

allows consumer bodies that have been approved by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to be designated as "super-complainants" to the

. These super-complainants are intended to "strengthen the voice of consumers", who are "unlikely to have access individually to the kind of information necessary to judge whether markets are failing for them". Eight have been designated : *

CAMRA The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) is an independent voluntary consumer organisation headquartered in St Albans, which promotes real ale, real cider, cider and perry and traditional British pubs and clubs. History The organisation was founde ...

- a lobbying group concerned with the tradition and quality of beer. * The Citizen's Advice Bureau, a free service that provides legal advice, practical help and information on consumer rights across the country. * Consumer Council for Water (formerly known as Watervoice) * Consumer Direct * General Consumer Council of Northern Ireland * Good Garage Scheme, an

automobile repair shop An automobile repair shop (also known regionally as a garage or a workshop) is an establishment where automobiles are repaired by auto mechanics and technicians. The customer interface is typically a Customer service representative, service adv ...

motoring scheme *

National Consumer Council National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...

Postwatch The New National Consumer Council, operating as Consumer Futures, was a non-departmental public body and statutory consumer organisation in England, Wales, Scotland, and, for postal services, Northern Ireland. It was established by the Consumer ...

Which? ''Which?'' is a United Kingdom brand name that promotes informed consumer choice in the purchase of goods and services by testing products, highlighting inferior products or services, raising awareness of consumer rights, and offering indepen ...

- formerly the Consumers Association - a consumer advocacy organisation which has substantial powers (for example to take representative actions under the Competition Act 1998) but which is primarily a lobbying organisation funded entirely by subscriptions to its regular consumer information magazine. Fundraising - Charity fundraisers on the street or calling house-to-house are sometimes called 'chuggers' - a portmanteau of charity muggers. Some charity fundraisers have been shown to use intimidatory and aggressive tactics, violating rules set out by regulatory agencies. * Public Fundraising Regulatory Association * Fund Raising Standards Board

Consumer laws and regulations

Applicable legislation includes: * Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 *

Sale of Goods Act 1979 The Sale of Goods Act 1979 (c. 54) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which regulated English contract law and UK commercial law in respect of goods that are sold and bought. The Act consolidated the original Sale of Goods Act ...

* Unfair Terms in Consumer Contract Regulations 1999 * Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 (replaced by the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013)Lawrence, H. and Plumtree-Varley, P.
Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 in force from June 2014
''Walker Morris'', published on 22 April 2014, accessed on 6 April 2025 * Electronic Commerce Regulations 2002 * Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 *Cancellation of Contracts made in a Consumer's Home or Place of Work Regulations 2008 (replaced by the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013) *Consumer Rights (Payment Surcharges) Regulations 2012 *Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 * Unfair Contract Terms Bill *

Consumer Rights Act 2015 The Consumer Rights Act 2015 (c. 15) is an act of Parliament of the United Kingdom which consolidates existing consumer protection law legislation and also gives consumers a number of new rights and remedies. Provisions for secondary ticketi ...

- in particular Part 2 (Unfair Terms), sections 61 - 69.

Product safety

* Consumer Protection Act 1987 * General Product Safety Regulations 2005

Finance and credit

Consumer Credit Act 1974 The Consumer Credit Act 1974 (c. 39) is an Acts of Parliament in the United Kingdom, Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that significantly reformed the law relating to consumer credit within the United Kingdom. The act remains in force ...

Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 Finance refers to monetary resources and to the study and discipline of money, currency, assets and liabilities. As a subject of study, is a field of Business Administration wich study the planning, organizing, leading, and controlling of an o ...

* Financial Services Act 2010 *

Financial Ombudsman Service The Financial Ombudsman Service is an ombudsman in the United Kingdom. It was established in 2000, and given statutory powers in 2001 by the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, to help settle disputes between consumers and UK-based busi ...

Competition law

* Competition Act 1998 *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Consumer Protection In The United Kingdom United Kingdom contract law