Trader recommendation platforms: complying with consumer law
How to protect consumers and stay on the right side of consumer law.
Documents
Details
This guidance was published prior to the unfair commercial practices provisions of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCC Act) coming into force on 6 April 2025. These provisions contain broadly similar prohibitions against unfair and misleading commercial practices as under the previous legislation, the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPRs). More detail on the legislative differences between the DMCC Act and the CPRs is available in the technical note. For further guidance, read Unfair commercial practices.
This guidance has not been updated since the DMCC Act provisions relating to unfair commercial practices came into effect. The relevant legislative changes are detailed throughout.
If you run a trader recommendation platform, check the CMA’s guidance on fake review practices for more guidance in this area.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published compliance advice to help trader recommendation platforms (TRPs) comply with consumer protection law.
It covers:
- advertising and marketing to consumers
- vetting practices
- complaints processes
- monitoring activities
- investigations
- consumer reviews
We have also published a response to our consultation on the draft compliance advice.
Further compliance work on trader recommendation platforms
28 May 2026: Following a review of TRPs, the CMA has written to several TRPs where we have identified concerns with their practices. We have highlighted our concerns, and reminded the platforms to review their practices and make any necessary changes. As our compliance advice explains, platforms must ensure they are fulfilling their consumer protection law obligations under the DMCC Act regime.
We have also published a joint LinkedIn article with National Trading Standards which outlines our main concerns and reminds all TRPs about what they need to do to stay on the right side of the law.
Updates to this page
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Update about further compliance work published.
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First published.