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ARTICLE · 13 AUGUST 2026

Everyday Fixes, Enforcement Risks: What Burnham’s Consumer Crackdown Means For Business

A&O Shearman
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UK consumer enforcement is entering a new phase as the government announces a crackdown on misleading discounts and accelerates subscription rules, while the Competition and Markets Authority recalibrates its approach following the Emma Sleep judgment. With reference pricing, subscription renewals, and customer journey scrutiny now firmly in the spotlight, businesses face a sharper enforcement environment where pricing claims and consumer choice architecture will be tested under both existing law and the Di

United KingdomConsumer Protection
David Weaver
David Weaver
Hafsah Nawaz
Hafsah Nawaz
Emily Bourne
Emily Bourne
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On August 9, 2026, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced the first in a series of consumer-focused “everyday fixes” aimed at easing cost-of-living pressures: a crackdown on misleading discounts and an accelerated timetable for new subscription rules. For businesses, the announcements are more than political messaging. They point to a sharper enforcement environment in which pricing claims, renewal journeys and consumer choice architecture remain firmly in the spotlight.

The announcements come as the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) recalibrates its approach to “was/now” pricing after Emma Sleep, while the UK government consults on adding fake “was” prices, invented discounts and misleading recommended retail prices (RRPs) to the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA)’s banned practices list. Together with the CMA’s Microsoft and Euro Car Parks probes, these developments show UK consumer enforcement moving from legislative design to practical scrutiny. 

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