The ‘vampire economy’—a legal perspective

Table of contents

• What were the main findings of the Money and Mental Health Institute report into night-time shopping by vulnerable consumers and the so-called ‘vampire economy’?
• What are the primary mechanisms by which online retailers are said to target vulnerable individuals?
• With the inherent flexibility and convenience that online shopping brings, what protections are currently built into the online environment for consumers?
• Is there a need for greater protections to be made available for those consumers who are deemed vulnerable to excess/spurious spending?
• Does the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) have a role to play in regulating marketing communications and striking an effective balance between affording consumers flexibility and bolstering the UK retail economy while also protecting more vulnerable users?

Article summary

Commercial analysis: A recent report highlighted some of the issues surrounding vulnerable consumers who are encouraged to buy online at night—a phenomenon dubbed the ‘vampire economy’. Hannah Batten, solicitor at Ashfords, and Louise Workman, partner at the firm, consider some of the legal angles of this trend.