The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published its annual report for 2024-25 setting outs its achievements and activities in the past year. The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCC Act) has largely come into force, giving the CMA new powers to regulate digital markets as well as competition and consumer laws which may also have a tech law angle. It is using its 4Ps’ framework – standing for pace, predictability, proportionality and process – to regulate.
Digital markets: in January 2025 the CMA launched strategic market status investigations into Google and Apple and their respective search and mobile ecosystems in addition to an ongoing cloud services market investigation.
Competition: The CMA has worked on the Vodafone/Three Merger, which has been cleared and has secured legally binding commitments to ensure 5G rollout in addition to £11 billion of investment over the next 8 years.
Fake online reviews: The CMA has worked closely with government to shape new rules and has investigated Google and Amazon over concerns they may have breached consumer law by failing to sufficiently protect people from fake reviews and has secured commitments, supporting consumer decisions and confidence. It has published fake reviews guidance, along with guides to help businesses comply.
Misleading online sales practices: To address harmful corporate practices and consumer law breaches, the CMA secured over £4 million in customer refunds and practice changes at Wowcher and Simba Sleep, and is investigating Ticketmaster following widespread complaints about Oasis concert ticket sales.
In the CMA’s ‘Approach’ document, it sets out its ambitions for consumer protection and to promote consumer trust and confidence. It outlined multiple key points for the new regime, including early and swift intervention on the following:
- aggressive sales practices that prey on vulnerable consumers
- providing false information to consumers
- banned practices, including the new banned practice relating to fake reviews
- fees that are hidden until late in the purchasing process – harming consumers and fair dealing businesses, as this hinders fair price competition
- Clearly unfair and imbalanced contract terms, including those that impose unfair exit charges on consumers.
In early 2024, it published its Approach to digital markets, and updated this in December, including a useful summary.
