Trading with consumers

FORTHCOMING CHANGE: Subscription contracts—draft Regulations and guidance published. The draft Consumer Subscription Contracts (Cancellation and Information) Regulations 2026 were laid before Parliament on 19 October 2026. Draft guidance on the subscription contracts rules has also been published. The draft Regulations supplement the subscription contracts provisions in Part 4, Chapter 2 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, including rules on cancellation rights, refunds and notices. Subject to parliamentary approval, the new regime is due to come into force on 1 January 2027 and apply to subscription contracts entered into on or after that date. See: BIST publishes draft subscription contracts guidance, LNB News 21/10/2026 20 for further information. This Overview will be updated in due course to reflect the changes.

This subtopic examines commercial law and regulation that impacts trading and contracting with consumers in the UK.

To determine the legal framework applicable to a specific consumer contract, the following two key questions must be considered:

1. •

   what is being sold—ie goods, services and/or digital content

2. •

   where it is being sold—ie on-premises, off-premises or at a distance (eg, online)

In addition, there...