Marks Electrical has been ordered to refund nearly 40,000 customers after it automatically opted them into additional paid services. The retailer will pay out a total of £600,000, with customers receiving around £15 each on average.
CMA Investigation Findings
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found that Marks Electrical charged customers for extra services without their agreement. This included removing and recycling old appliances at the time of delivering a new product, as well as unwrapping and removing packaging for new products.
Businesses are not allowed to use pre-ticked boxes or other forms of automatic opt-in for optional extras that cost money. Marks Electrical was also fined £720,000.
Company Response and Penalty Reduction
Marks Electrical changed its selling practices after the CMA opened an investigation and engaged with the watchdog. Because of this, the company received a 40% reduction to its financial penalty. The CMA investigation covered a period from April 2025 – when new consumer powers came into force – to November 2025.
Refund Process
Marks Electrical will contact affected customers, and refunds will be automatically applied to the method they used to pay for their appliance. If that is not possible, the customer will be sent a cheque. The amount repaid to individuals will vary depending on how much they paid for extra services.
Background on Marks Electrical
Marks Electrical sells a range of essential household items, including washing machines, dishwashers, and cookers.
CMA Statement
Emma Cochrane, Executive Director of Consumer Protection at the CMA, said: “The law is absolutely clear that automatically opting customers into extra charges is never ok. Buying a new washing machine, dishwasher or cooker is expensive and people should have the right to decide if they want optional extras – not be landed with costs that they did not agree to. All businesses need to check their policy on automatic opt-ins – the bottom line is that they should not be used. If businesses break the law, we’ll continue to issue fines and secure refunds for people.”
The Mirror has contacted Marks Electrical for comment.
