posted 17th December 2025
2025: A Watershed Year for Consumer Rights Regulation — What Businesses and Consumers Must Know.
2025 has already proven to be a pivotal year for consumer protection law across the UK and Europe, and ripples are being felt globally.
For businesses operating in an increasingly digital marketplace, as well as consumers navigating purchases and online engagement, understanding and complying with these newly intensified regulatory regimes is no longer optional, it’s essential.
Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of the most significant developments in consumer rights regulation this year and what they mean for your business and your customers.
1. UK Overhauls Consumer Protection: Stronger Enforcement, Bigger Risks.
On 6 April 2025, the UK’s Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCC Act) ushered in a new era of consumer protection enforcement. This landmark legislation gives the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) the power to directly enforce consumer law and impose fines of up to 10% of global turnover, dramatically increasing the stakes for non-compliance.
Key Changes and Business Impacts:
Direct Enforcement: The CMA no longer needs to go through the courts to take action for breaches of core consumer protection laws, streamlining enforcement and increasing regulatory risk.
Higher Penalties: Fines of up to 10% of global turnover or £300,000 (whichever is higher) can be applied where consumer protection laws are breached.
Modernised Consumer Rights Regime: Traditional rules under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations have been updated and incorporated into the DMCC Act to reflect online commerce realities, including clearer prohibition of unfair commercial practices.
Examples of Targeted Practices:
Drip pricing where headline prices don’t include mandatory charges, is now banned.
Fake or undisclosed paid reviews may be considered unfair practices.
Subscription contract rules are being tightened, especially around how consumers opt in and out of ongoing services.
Since enforcement began, the CMA has already initiated formal investigations and issued advisory notices to hundreds of businesses to check compliance with the new regime.
Why This Matters:
For UK and international businesses selling into the UK, this means that every aspect of your pricing, marketing, and terms of sale may now be examined against a much tougher and faster-acting regime. Ignorance of these changes is not a defence, and reputational damage from enforcement action can be severe.
2. European Union: Digital Fairness and Strategic Consumer Protection.
Across the Channel, the European Commission is moving forward with major initiatives to strengthen consumer rights in the digital age.
Digital Fairness Act (DFA) — Next Step in EU Digital Rulemaking.
In mid-2025, the European Commission opened a public consultation on the proposed Digital Fairness Act (DFA), a legislative initiative designed to fill gaps in EU consumer protections around online platforms and digital services.
The DFA aims to tackle:
Dark patterns — manipulative user interface designs that steer consumer behaviour.
Personalised pricing and opaque contract terms that disadvantage consumers.
Emerging digital market practices that the Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA) do not fully address.
While the DFA itself is still in development, the consultation and feedback phase signals strong momentum toward stricter digital consumer protections, likely driving future compliance requirements for digital businesses operating in the EU.
EU Consumer Protection Cooperation and Safety Strategy.
In late 2025 the EU also indicated plans to strengthen cross-border enforcement cooperation and modernise consumer protection strategies, including adapting the General Safety Regulation and enhancing mechanisms to remove unsafe products from the market.
Why This Matters:
With the EU market still governed by Regulation (EU) 2023/988 on general product safety and ongoing digital fairness discussions, businesses operating in the EU must prepare for a more proactive enforcement environment and evolving digital rights standards.
3. Broader Global Context: Regulatory Shifts Beyond Europe.
While the UK and EU are leading aggressive consumer protection reforms, regulatory activity in other jurisdictions is also shaping the global landscape:
In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has implemented rules like the “click to cancel” subscription requirement and restrictions on hidden “junk fees”, that aim to enhance price transparency and consumer control in digital transactions.
Data privacy and AI regulation remain active areas of legislative evolution across many jurisdictions, impacting how consumer data is used and protected.
How Meridian Legal Services Can Help.
These developments underscore a clear truth: consumer rights law has entered a new phase. Regulatory scrutiny is higher, enforcement is faster, and penalties are more substantial. At Meridian Legal Services, we specialise in helping businesses:
- Understand and implement compliance strategies for the DMCC Act and emerging EU consumer laws.
- Audit online pricing, contract terms, and marketing practices against current regulatory standards.
- Prepare for enforcement actions or regulatory inquiries with expert legal support.
- Stay ahead of emerging digital fairness and data protection regulations affecting consumer interfaces and data use.
Whether you operate in the UK, the EU, or serve international customers, failing to adapt to these changes could mean regulatory action, financial penalties, or reputational harm.
