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Competitions And Markets Authority Open Letter: Using Urgency and Price Reduction Claims Online

The Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) has published an open letter to online businesses regarding the use of urgency claims and price reduction claims: Using urgency and price reduction claims online - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)


The purpose of the letter is to help businesses understand and comply with existing consumer protection rules when making urgency claims (for example, countdown timers, scarcity or ‘act fast’ messages) and/or price reduction claims online. It has been written for online retailers, online marketplaces, online intermediaries, and businesses that help clients to build online stores.

The letter includes examples where common claims made by online businesses to consumers during the shopping process may breach the law, for example by misleading consumers or by putting unfair pressure on them.

These examples are likely to be helpful to all parts of a business (and its client businesses) involved in designing, developing and publishing urgency and price reduction claims, for example, legal, marketing, content design, and website or app development.

While the letter is designed to help businesses, it is not legal advice. Responsibility for complying with the law remains with businesses themselves.

This open letter to businesses links to the CMA consumer facing Online Rip-Off Tip-off campaign – which you can read about here: Shoppers urged to call out online rip-offs as CMA unveils ‘red lines’ - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

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