The CMA’s efforts include investigations into the package holiday and hand sanitizer industries. By John D. Colahan and Anuj Ghai CMA announces package holiday sector investigation On 10 July, the CMA announced that it was investigating suspected breaches of consumer protection law in the package holiday sector. The investigation was launched on the back of … Continue Reading
The CMA continues to field COVID-19 complaints concerning refunds and previously widespread excessive prices on day-to-day products. By John D. Colahan and Anuj Ghai The CMA continues to respond to complaints from consumers on COVID-19-related issues. Consumers submitted more than 80,000 complaints through 28 June 2020, with the volume decreasing from 7,000 a week in … Continue Reading
The investigation is being carried out under the CMA’s competition law powers rather than under its consumer protection functions. By John D. Colahan and Anuj Ghai On 18 June, the CMA released an update noting that it had launched an investigation under Chapter II of the Competition Act 1998 into suspected breaches of competition law … Continue Reading
The taskforce continues to receive and monitor complaints about unfair practices in relation to cancellations and refunds and potentially unjustifiable price rises. By John D. Colahan and Anuj Ghai On 21 May, the CMA released a further update setting out the work of its COVID-19 Taskforce in responding to complaints regarding competition and consumer protection … Continue Reading
The CMA has launched a programme of work to investigate reports of businesses failing to respect cancellation rights during the COVID-19 pandemic. By John D. Colahan and Anuj Ghai The CMA’s COVID-19 Taskforce Update on 24 April 2020 noted that its COVID-19 Taskforce had received a significant volume of complaints about unfair practices in relation … Continue Reading
The CMA is concerned that businesses may be engaging in unfair practices in relation to cancellations and refunds, and unjustifiable price increases. By John D. Colahan and Anuj Ghai Background On 24 April 2020, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published an update on the work of its COVID-19 Taskforce (the Taskforce) (the Update Report). … Continue Reading
The new service encourages UK consumers to report exploitative sales and pricing practices. By John D. Colahan and Anuj Ghai On 4 April 2020, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched an online service called “Report a business behaving unfairly during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak” (the Online Service) to allow businesses and consumers to report … Continue Reading
The rules will echo ESMA’s temporary measures, however the FCA will extend the CFD restriction to capture closely substitutable products (such as turbo certificates). By Rob Moulton, David Berman, Charlotte Collins, and Gabriel Lakeman The FCA has launched two consultations on: Banning the sale, marketing, and distribution of binary options to retail consumers (CP18/37) Restricting … Continue Reading
By Paul Davies and Michael Green In August 2015, the French government amended the French Energy Transition Law to include provisions rendering “planned obsolescence” a misdemeanour. In the latest wording of the provisions, article L.441-2 of the Consumer Protection Code (Code de la consommation) defines planned obsolescence as “… resorting to techniques whereby the entity … Continue Reading
