New Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill brought forward this week
A new Bill is being introduced into the Commons this week, addressing the findings of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s review into digital markets. The Bill includes some headline-generating powers for the Competition and Markets Authority around regulating the digital giants, but I think some of the new consumer protections are likely to have the widest ranging impact.
The intention is to enact the Bill before the end of the calendar year, so businesses with consumer-facing subscription models need to start considering what the proposed new laws mean now, in order to have time to develop, test and train staff on new process flows and consumer experiences.
Other Insights
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18th June 2026The Department of Business and Trade issues updated guidance on the meaning of significant influence or control for the purposes of the PSC regime.
An overview of the UK’s updated PSC guidance, focusing on “significant influence or control” and how businesses can identify and assess PSC status in practice.
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21st May 2026Lifting the lid on claims of “parental alienation” – increased access for journalists in family court proceedings
An overview of a recent High Court decision exploring increased transparency in family courts, with a focus on parental alienation and journalist access.
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8th May 2026
Taxi for “directing mind and will”! A suitable vehicle has arrived: the Crime and Policing Act 2026
From 29 June 2026, the Crime and Policing Act 2026 (“CPA”) significantly expands corporate criminal liability in the UK. Companies and partnerships may now be held liable for any criminal offence committed by a senior manager acting within the actual or apparent scope of their authority, regardless of where the entity is incorporated. In practice, as we discuss in this note, application of the attribution test is not as straightforward as advertised and the likelihood of prosecution will depend heavily on the application of public interest factors.
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