Preparing For Forthcoming Changes To EU And UK Consumer Protection Regime

Businesses that deal with UK consumers will have their work cut out over the next year or so as they address changes to both EU and UK consumer protection laws. Leaving aside the proposed wholesale reform of the UK consumer protection regime under the Consumer Rights Bill, other changes in the pipeline will affect the information that businesses give to their consumer customers, as well as digital downloads, cancellations and consumer's rights and remedies for misleading or aggressive sales practices.

In August 2013, the UK government published two new sets of draft consumer regulations to tighten up consumer rights and implement parts of the European Consumer Rights Directive. The new rules will require most e-commerce businesses selling to UK and European customers to review and change longstanding business practices. They will also give consumers who have been subject to misleading or aggressive marketing new direct rights to sue for compensation.