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Enforcement and Effectiveness of Consumer Law in the UK

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Enforcement and Effectiveness of Consumer Law

Part of the book series: Ius Comparatum - Global Studies in Comparative Law ((GSCL,volume 27))

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to review the enforcement mechanisms available in the UK and their effectiveness. It cannot be exhaustive given the volume of legislation, case law and policy documents in existence. It is however hoped that it will provide a good starting point for any interested party to understand the way consumer law is enforced on the ground.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Borrie (1984), p. 2.

  2. 2.

    Riefa (2015), p. 4.

  3. 3.

    Department for Business Innovation and Skills, ‘Policy paper – 2010 to 2015 government policy: consumer protection’ [2015] <https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2010-to-2015-government-policy-consumer-protection/2010-to-2015-government-policy-consumer-protection#appendix-5-giving-more-power-to-consumers> accessed 21 March 2016.

  4. 4.

    Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Modernising Consumer Markets, Consumer Green Paper (April 2018, Cm9595).

  5. 5.

    Department for Business Innovation and Skills, ‘Consumer Engagement and Detriment Survey 2014’ [2014] JN121550 <https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/319043/bis-14-881-bis-consumer-detriment-survey.pdf> accessed 21 March 2016.

  6. 6.

    Ibid, p. 3.

  7. 7.

    Ibid, p. 19.

  8. 8.

    Ibid, p. 20.

  9. 9.

    Ibid, p. 44.

  10. 10.

    Note that the Sale of Goods Act is a general sales code, which covers not only the terms on quality, fitness etc (which now only apply to B2B contracts), but also rules on passing of property and title, delivery, acceptance etc, all of which still both apply to B2B, B2C and C2C.

  11. 11.

    Riefa (2015), p. 10. On the competing ideologies or ethics of the Consumer Rights Act, Willett (2018).

  12. 12.

    Ibid., p. 11.

  13. 13.

    Ibid., p. 12–13.

  14. 14.

    European Commission, ‘Consumer Associations and Networks – United Kingdom’ [2010] <http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/eu_consumer_policy/consumer_consultative_group/national_consumer_organisations/docs/national-consumer-organisations_uk_listing.pdf> accessed 22 March 2016, 20.

  15. 15.

    Ibid.

  16. 16.

    Financial Conduct Authority, ‘FCA Business Plan 2015/16’ [2015] <http://fca.org.uk/static/channel-page/business-plan/business-plan-2015-16.html?utm_source=businessplan2015&utm_medium=businessplan2015&utm_campaign=businessplan2015#c2> accessed 22 March 2016.

  17. 17.

    Department for Business Innovation and Skills, ‘Press Release – Government to tackle the small print’ [2016] <https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-to-tackle-the-small-print> accessed 22 March 2016.

  18. 18.

    Department for Business Innovation and Skills, ‘UK Consumer Product Recall Review - The Government response to the Independent Recall Review by Lynn Faulds Wood’ [2016] <https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/500422/bis-16-69-consumer-product-recall-government-response.pdf> accessed 23 March 2016, 4.

  19. 19.

    Department for Business Innovation and Skills, ‘Pricing Practices in the Groceries Market - Government response to the Competition and Markets Authority’s report and recommendations on the super-complaint made by Which?’ [2015] <https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/467326/BIS-15-568-government-response-to-the-CMA-report-on-Which-super-complaint.pdf> access 23 March 2016, 3.

  20. 20.

    Consumer Rights Act 2015, s68(1).

  21. 21.

    Department for Business Innovation and Skills, ‘UK Consumer Product Recall Review - The Government response to the Independent Recall Review by Lynn Faulds Wood’ [2016] <https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/500422/bis-16-69-consumer-product-recall-government-response.pdf> accessed 23 March 2016, 5.

  22. 22.

    Consumer Rights Act 2015, s64(1)(b).

  23. 23.

    http://www.nationaltradingstandards.uk/.

  24. 24.

    Competition and Markets Authority website, ‘CMA in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland’ <https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/competition-and-markets-authority> accessed 24 March 2016.

  25. 25.

    Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013, schedule 4 s1.

  26. 26.

    Competition and Markets Authority, ‘CMA Structure’ [2016] <https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/509100/CMA_organogram.pdf> accessed 23 March 2016.

  27. 27.

    Competition and Markets Authority, ‘Towards the CMA – CMA Guidance’ [2013] <https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/212285/CMA1_-_Towards_the_CMA.pdf> accessed 24 March 2016, p. 11.

  28. 28.

    Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, schedule 1ZA section 2(2)(a–e) as amended by the Financial Services Act 2012, schedule 3.

  29. 29.

    Financial Conduct Authority website, ‘The Board’ [2016] <http://www.fca.org.uk/about/structure/board> accessed 24 March 2016.

  30. 30.

    Financial Conduct Authority website, ‘Our structure’ <http://www.fca.org.uk/about/structure> accessed 24 March 2016.

  31. 31.

    Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, section 1B(3)(a–b) as amended by the Financial Services Act 2012, section 6(1).

  32. 32.

    Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, section 1B(6)(a–d) as amended by the Financial Services Act 2012, section 6(1).

  33. 33.

    Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, section 1L(1) as amended by the Financial Services Act 2012, section 6(1).

  34. 34.

    Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, s1M as amended by the Financial Services Act 2012, section 6(1).

  35. 35.

    Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, section 1T(1)(a) as amended by the Financial Services Act 2012, section 6(1).

  36. 36.

    Financial Services Act 2012, section 3(3).

  37. 37.

    Department for Business Innovation and Skills, ‘Consumer Engagement and Detriment Survey 2014’ [2014] JN121550 <https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/319043/bis-14-881-bis-consumer-detriment-survey.pdf> accessed 21 March 2016, p. 4.

  38. 38.

    ibid.

  39. 39.

    Office of Gas and Electricity Markets, ‘Powers and duties of GEMA’ [2013] <https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/powers-and-duties-gema> accessed 24 March 2016.

  40. 40.

    Office of Gas and Electricity Markets website, ‘Who we are’ <https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/about-us/who-we-are> accessed 24 March 2016.

  41. 41.

    Food Standards Agency, ‘Food we can trust’ [2016] <https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/food-standards-agency> accessed 24 March 2016.

  42. 42.

    Water Services Regulation Authority website, ‘Our duties’ <http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/about-us/our-duties/> accessed 24 March 2016.

  43. 43.

    Office of Rail and road website, ‘What and how we regulate’ <http://orr.gov.uk/what-and-how-we-regulate> accessed 24 March 2016.

  44. 44.

    Civil Aviation Authority website, ‘Our role’ <https://www.caa.co.uk/Our-work/About-us/Our-role/> accessed 24 March 2016.

  45. 45.

    European Commission, ‘Consumer Associations and Networks – United Kingdom’ [2010] <http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/eu_consumer_policy/consumer_consultative_group/national_consumer_organisations/docs/national-consumer-organisations_uk_listing.pdf> accessed 22 March 2016, 6.

  46. 46.

    Financial Conduct Authority website, ‘Complains data’ [2015] <https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/complaints-and-compensation/complaints-data> accessed 24 march 2016.

  47. 47.

    Ministry of Justice, Civil Procedure Rules – Rules and Directions, Part 27 <https://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/civil/rules/part27> accessed 6 April 2016.

  48. 48.

    Ibid., part 28.

  49. 49.

    Ibid., part 29.

  50. 50.

    Citizen’s Advice website, Starting a Claim <https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-rights/legal-system/taking-legal-action/small-claims/#h-before-applying-to-the-court> accessed 6 April 2016.

  51. 51.

    Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, ‘Government response to call for evidence – EU proposals on Alternative Dispute Resolution’ [2012] <https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/190192/12-674-government-response-eu-proposals-alternative-dispute-resolution_1_.pdf> accessed 24 March 2016, 9.

  52. 52.

    See Part I Question 4.

  53. 53.

    Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, ‘Alternative Dispute Resolution for consumers - Government response to the consultation on implementing the Alternative Dispute Resolution Directive and the Online Dispute Resolution Regulation’ [2014] <https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/377522/bis-14-1122-alternative-dispute-resolution-for-consumers.pdf> accessed 24 March 2016, 8.

  54. 54.

    Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, ‘Consumer Rights Bill: Proposal on Services – Revised Impact Assessment – Final’ [2014] 3 <https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/274823/bis-13-1361-consumer-rights-bill-proposals-on-services-impact-final.pdf> accessed 6 April 2016.

  55. 55.

    Her Majesty’s Government website, ‘Legal aid’ <https://www.gov.uk/legal-aid/what-you-can-get> accessed 24 March 2016.

  56. 56.

    NB, however, that there are a large number of other Ombudsman schemes, some public and some private: covering Energy, Estate agents (Property), Furniture, Glazing, Health services, Higher Education (Independent Adjudicator), Housing, Independent Football, Legal services, Pensions, Removals, Retail, Surveyors, Telecommunications, and Waterways. Details of the various schemes can be found at http://www.ombudsmanassociation.org.

  57. 57.

    The Financial Ombudsman Service website, FAQs – How long does it take? <http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/faq/answers/complaints_a6.html> accessed 6 April 2016.

  58. 58.

    The Financial Ombudsman Service, ‘Annual Report 2014/2015’ [2015] 11 <http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/ar15/ar15.pdf> accessed 6 April 2016.

  59. 59.

    Ibid., p. 137.

  60. 60.

    Ibid., p. 1.

  61. 61.

    Broadly, the process starts with mediation, continues to adjudication (if mediation is unsuccessful), and ends with a decision of the actual Ombudsman (if adjudication could not resolve matters).

  62. 62.

    Ibid.

  63. 63.

    The Financial Ombudsman Service website, ‘Information for businesses covered by the ombudsman service’ <http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/faq/businesses/answers/before_we_get_involved_a7.html> accessed 6 April 2016.

  64. 64.

    The Financial Ombudsman Service website, ‘FAQs - complaining to the ombudsman’ <http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/faq/answers/complaints_a3.html> accessed 6 April 2016.

  65. 65.

    Ibid.

  66. 66.

    But see under question 4 below as to the legal framework now provided following the ADR Directive.

  67. 67.

    For a list of such trade associations, see Part V above.

  68. 68.

    SI 2015/42, amended by the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Amendement) Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/1392).

  69. 69.

    See http://www.tradingstandards.uk/advice/AlternativeDisputeResolution.cfm.

  70. 70.

    See https://www.theretailombudsman.org.uk/.

  71. 71.

    See https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/odr/main/?event=main.adr.show.

  72. 72.

    This can be accessed at https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/odr/main/index.cfm?event=main.home.show&lng=EN.

  73. 73.

    The following are links to data on financial services and energy: http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/complaints-data.html and https://www.ombudsman-services.org/complaints-data.html. The following is a link providing a much broader picture, covering retail, energy, finance, telecom, public transport, leisure, tradesmen, property, post and professional services: https://www.ombudsman-services.org/more-brits-taking-action-against-poor-service.html.

  74. 74.

    On which, see Part X below.

  75. 75.

    Twigg-Flesner et al. (2016), Ch. 11.

  76. 76.

    Generally, see discussion in Twigg-Flesner et al. (2016), ibid.

  77. 77.

    For more information on how this works see the website, at http://www.tradingstandards.uk/advice/ConsumerCodes.cfm.

  78. 78.

    See http://www.bcap.org.uk/Advertising-Codes.aspx.

  79. 79.

    This more formal regulation would involve exercise of the powers of bodies such as the CMA to seek enforcement orders under the Enterprise Act 2002, on which see Part VIII below.

  80. 80.

    See https://www.asa.org.uk/Rulings/Adjudications/2016/6/RB-UK-Commercial-Ltd/SHP_ADJ_338459.aspx#.V3ZiQbgrK00.

  81. 81.

    E.g. for common law misrepresentation, duress etc, and now in relation to the (UCPD based) misleading and aggressive practice concepts for which there are private law remedies under the Consumer Protection (Amendment) Regulations 2014.

  82. 82.

    See Part IX below.

  83. 83.

    See Part VIII below.

  84. 84.

    See http://www.which.co.uk/.

  85. 85.

    See https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/.

  86. 86.

    See https://www.fairfinance.org.uk/.

  87. 87.

    See https://www.fs-cp.org.uk/.

  88. 88.

    See http://www.ofcom.org.uk/about/how-ofcom-is-run/committees/england/.

  89. 89.

    See http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/water-services-association/regulating-a-utility/customer-service-committees-cscs.html#axzz4D9fi4sb7.

  90. 90.

    See http://www.ukenergywatch.org/.

  91. 91.

    See http://www.transportfocus.org.uk/about/history/.

  92. 92.

    See https://www.goodgaragescheme.com/.

  93. 93.

    I.e. the actual regulators—the Office of Communications (http://www.ofcom.org.uk/), the Information Commissioner (https://ico.org.uk/), the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority (https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/), the Water Services Regulation Authority (http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/), the Office of Rail Regulation (http://orr.gov.uk/), and the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation (http://www.uregni.gov.uk/). The above consumer bodies that are attached to the regulators (the Advisory Committees on Telecommunications, Transport Focus, Energy Watch etc) do NOT have these powers under the Consumer Rights Act.

  94. 94.

    See further below in Part VIII, on these Enterprise Act powers.

  95. 95.

    Enterprise Act section 11.

  96. 96.

    See http://orr.gov.uk/info-for-passengers/complaints/rail-compensation-super-complaint.

  97. 97.

    Her Majesty’s Government website, ‘Legal aid’ <https://www.gov.uk/legal-aid/what-you-can-get> accessed 24 March 2016.

  98. 98.

    See http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/.

  99. 99.

    See http://www.shelter.org.uk/.

  100. 100.

    See http://www.ageuk.org.uk/.

  101. 101.

    https://www.gov.uk/guidance/group-litigation-orders.

  102. 102.

    See the work of the CMA at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/450440/Unfair_Terms_Main_Guidance.pdf.

  103. 103.

    Ibid.

  104. 104.

    The UCPD is implemented by the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, which provide for misleading and aggressive practices to be viewed as domestic infringements under the Enterprise Act. The 2008 Regulations also make misleading and aggressive practices criminal offences, and on criminal sanctions generally in the UK, see Part IX below.

  105. 105.

    Generally, see Twigg-Flesner et al. (2016), chapter 18.

  106. 106.

    [2001] UKHL 52.

  107. 107.

    [2009] UKSC 6.

  108. 108.

    [2009] EWHC 1681 (Ch).

  109. 109.

    [2011] EWHC 1237 (Ch).

  110. 110.

    [2011] EWCA Crim 2, [2011] All ER (D) 54 (Jan).

  111. 111.

    [2011] EWHC 1237 (Ch).

  112. 112.

    [2012] All ER (D) 247 (Oct).

  113. 113.

    [2012] EWHC 2927 (Admin).

  114. 114.

    [2012] EWCA Crim 539.

  115. 115.

    [2012] EWCA Crim 186.

  116. 116.

    [2013] EWCA Crim 818.

  117. 117.

    For useful guidance on the ECMs (in this case aimed generally at enforcers, mainly Trading Standards Authorities, but also dealing with the general position), see BIS, Enhanced Consumer Measures, Guidance for enforcers of consumer law, May 2015.

  118. 118.

    E.g. it is an offence to sell food that is injurious to health, or not of the nature, substance or quality demanded.

  119. 119.

    So, misleading and aggressive practices are criminal offences under the 2008 Regulations (in addition to there being the collective redress powers discussed in Part VIII above.

  120. 120.

    Terms of Reference and Membership Rules (https://www.theretailombudsman.org.uk/terms-of-reference-membership-rules/), 3.2.a.

  121. 121.

    Ibid., 3.37 (in contrast to decisions of the Financial Ombudsman Service, which cannot be appealed to the courts by the business).

  122. 122.

    This encompassing the spectrum from enforcement orders obtained in court, back through seeking assurances, negotiation, informing/educating).

  123. 123.

    For a discussion of the ways in which EU law has benefited UK consumers and the possible risks of Brexit, see House of Lords EU Justice Sub-Committee (2017) Brexit: Consumer Protection Rights https://www.parliament.uk/brexit-consumer-protection-rights and Willett (2018). The Possible Impact of Brexit on Consumer Protection Law—Written evidence (CPR0003) to House of Lords EU Justice Sub-Committee on Brexit: Consumer Protection Rights http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/eu-justice-subcommittee/brexit-consumer-protection-rights/written/70882.html

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Brunel University London, London, UK

    Christine Riefa

  2. University of Essex, Colchester, UK

    Chris Willett

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  1. Department of Law, Badia Fiesolana, European University Institute, San Domenico di Fiesole, Italy

    Hans-W. Micklitz

  2. Faculty of Law, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Geneviève Saumier

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Riefa, C., Willett, C. (2018). Enforcement and Effectiveness of Consumer Law in the UK. In: Micklitz, HW., Saumier, G. (eds) Enforcement and Effectiveness of Consumer Law. Ius Comparatum - Global Studies in Comparative Law, vol 27. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78431-1_28

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