Enforcement and regulation

Competitive and customer-focused markets are the best guarantee of consumer welfare. However, when market forces are failing to prevent harm to consumers and businesses are refusing to change their behaviour voluntarily, as a last resort we may need to take enforcement action.

We have a wide range of enforcement tools at our disposal. For instance, we can impose heavy financial penalties on companies guilty of breaching competition law, and we can investigate mergers and refer them to the Competition Commission for closer examination. We can also take court action against rogue traders, refuse and revoke consumer credit licences, and warn and ban estate agents.

When stopping illegal conduct, we target behaviour that poses the greatest threat to consumer welfare, such as mass-marketed scams and cartel activity.

In all our enforcement work, we are committed to acting proportionately to achieve effective outcomes. For example, we can accept undertakings in lieu of legal action, and may offer leniency to companies that cooperate with cartel investigations.

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