CAP and BCAP implement new misleading advertising rules under Digital Markets Act
The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) have implemented amendments to their advertising rules, reflecting the Unfair Commercial Practices provisions in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. The changes, effective from April 2025, introduce mandatory total price disclosure requirements, prohibit fake reviews, require disclosure of incentivised reviews, and ban misleading presentation of consumer reviews. The rules also expand the scope for considering vulnerable consumer perspectives when assessing potentially misleading advertisements, regardless of whether ads specifically target vulnerable groups. The amendments replace provisions previously contained in the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.