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Protecting Consumers

Consumer Law Review

A government review of the consumer law regime looked at where legislation can be simplified, while ensuring the public gets a fair deal and high-quality products. As markets and technologies continue to develop at pace, our legislative system has to keep up and provide consumers with adequate protection.

Consumer protection regulations have developed over several decades and there are now more than 100 different pieces of legislation, which are sometimes inconsistent and inflexible. These have also caused a huge administrative burden for businesses.

World-class protection

The Government is committed to making our consumer protection regime the world’s best.
Its aim is to ensure people get:

• a fair deal
• value for money
• safe and high-quality products
• greater choice.

This is good for consumers and good for British business.

Consumer White Paper

The findings and proposals from the Consumer Law Review are set out in the Government White Paper

A better deal for consumers: delivering real help now and change for the future [Consumer white paper Cm 7669] (1189KB)

Chapters three and four gives details on empowering consumers through better enforcement and information and modernising consumer law. The proposals and actions in this White Paper will form the basis of a consumer policy that will be active in identifying and dealing with new consumer markets; proportionate in its approach to business regulation and concentrating resources on rooting out the minority of rogue businesses.

Consumer White Paper

Consumer law review: call for evidence (1074KB)

Modernisation of Consumer Law conference

A conference was held to explore in depth some of the issues which are open for consideration as part of the Department for Business's consumer law review. The speakers included leading academics in the area of consumer law and the event was attended by over 90 delegates from business, consumer groups and enforcement.