UK fake review ban: what the DMCC Act means for marketers
The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act bans fake reviews and drip pricing in the UK. Here is what marketers must change.
Published 2 October 2026 · By Naveed Murtaza
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What the law changes
The CMA can now decide breaches and impose fines without going to court first. Fines can reach 10% of global turnover.
New banned practices include commissioning or hosting fake reviews and hiding mandatory fees until late in checkout.
What marketers should audit
Review-collection methods, incentives, testimonial sourcing, “from” prices, subscription terms and urgency claims all need checking.
Businesses must take reasonable steps to prevent and remove fake reviews on their own sites.
Turning compliance into trust
Verified, genuine reviews and clear all-in pricing increase conversion. Use them visibly in ads and landing pages.
Trust signals matter even more in AI search, where brands with consistent, credible information are cited more often.
What should marketers in UK do next?
Treat this trend as a planning signal rather than a headline. Map which customer questions it creates, build one clear explainer page or landing page that answers them, and run small, measured search and social tests before committing bigger budgets.
Track query growth in Google Search Console and Google Trends, watch competitor ads in the Meta Ad Library and Google Ads Transparency Center, and update your content whenever an official source changes its guidance. Naveed Murtaza helps businesses turn these shifts into practical campaigns, search content and lead journeys.