Burnham brings forward ban on 'subscription traps' to ease cost of living
The prime minister is embarking on a UK tour with a series of announcements aimed at easing living costs.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has unveiled a series of measures to simplify subscription cancellations and prohibit deceptive pricing tactics, aiming to alleviate the burden of rising living costs. These changes, which were initially proposed by his predecessor, Sir Keir Starmer in April, will now be enacted by Burnham's administration beginning January 2027.
The reforms will emphasize transparent upfront information, ongoing notifications, and straightforward exit options for customers, as well as outlaw misleading claims that previously concealed higher prices of products. The government anticipates these modifications to save consumers £400 million annually, or approximately £170 per person.
Additionally, Burnham intends to curb retailers' reliance on fabricated pricing, made-up discounts, and misleading recommended retail prices to promote deals. While the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act enacted in 2024 already criminalizes false "was" prices for items on sale, the new measures are expected to bolster consumer protections further.
Consumer advocacy groups have welcomed the announcement, but some critics argue that the government has been tardy in implementing these policies.
Written by urgent.news from BBC Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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