The UK's competition watchdog has launched a significant crackdown on the online pricing practices of eight major companies, marking the first use of its powerful new consumer protection powers.
Which Companies Are Under Investigation?
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) confirmed on 18 November 2025 that it has opened formal investigations into StubHub, Viagogo, AA Driving School, BSM Driving School, Gold's Gym, Wayfair, Appliances Direct, and Marks Electrical.
This landmark action follows a comprehensive "cross-economy" review of how businesses present prices and conduct sales online. The CMA is also taking the broader step of writing to 100 businesses across 14 different sectors to outline concerns about their use of additional fees and potentially misleading sales tactics.
Protecting Household Budgets
CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell emphasised the urgency of this action for British consumers. "At a time when household budgets are under constant pressure and we're all hunting for the best deal possible, it's crucial that people are able to shop online with confidence, knowing that the price they see is the price they'll pay, and any sales are genuine," she stated.
Cardell further reinforced that whether consumers are spending on concert tickets, driving lessons, gym memberships, or home furnishings, they deserve a fair deal. She described this move as an "important milestone" in the watchdog's mission to protect shoppers from misleading prices and illegal pressure selling across the entire economy.
Specific Allegations Against Each Company
The CMA has provided details about the specific concerns regarding each business under investigation:
StubHub and Viagogo: The secondary ticketing giants are being scrutinised for their mandatory additional charges applied during ticket purchases. The investigation will determine whether these fees were properly included in upfront prices shown to consumers.
AA Driving School and BSM Driving School: The probe focuses on how these driving schools present mandatory fees on their websites, specifically whether these costs were included in the total price displayed at the beginning of the purchase process.
Gold's Gym: The fitness chain is under investigation for its presentation of a one-off joining fee for annual memberships. The CMA is examining whether introducing this fee partway through the sign-up process, rather than including it in advertised membership costs, breaches consumer law.
Wayfair: The home furnishings retailer is being investigated in relation to its use of time-limited sales.
Marks Electrical: The electrical retailer faces scrutiny over its use of default opt-ins for additional charges.
Appliances Direct: This company is under investigation for both its use of time-limited sales and default opt-ins.
The CMA has stressed that it has reached no conclusions about whether consumer law has actually been broken in any of these cases. However, the watchdog issued a stern warning to all businesses, stating: "Any businesses who break consumer law should be in no doubt we will stamp out illegal conduct and protect the interests of consumers and fair-dealing businesses."
This action represents just the beginning of the CMA's intensified efforts to ensure transparency and fairness in online shopping for all UK consumers.
