Competition and Markets Authority Draft Annual Plan 2025 to 2026

Summary

• Which? welcomes this opportunity to respond to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) Draft Annual Plan. This is an important year for the CMA as it will finally have the ability to take direct consumer enforcement action through the new powers provided for consumer protection in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA) and the Digital Markets Unit (DMU) will come fully into operation. These powers are much needed in order to strengthen consumer protection, support responsible businesses that play by the rules and simplify the enforcement of consumer law. It will be essential that the CMA makes effective and pro-active use of these new powers, ensuring greater confidence and certainty to both consumers and businesses. With a strong focus on growth and driving investment from the government, it is essential that the CMA is able to demonstrate that it will make appropriate use of both its consumer protection and competition powers to ensure that both consumers and businesses are protected from unfair trading practices. 
• Which?’s consumer insight shows that many consumers continue to struggle with the cost of living, often having to make difficult choices and trade-offs. We therefore strongly support the CMA ensuring that its work over the coming years will deliver tangible benefits to consumers by focusing its consumer protection and competition work on areas of essential consumer spend where people are under financial pressure. It is important that the CMA therefore builds on important work, such as its focus on the grocery market, supporting people with spending in areas such as travel and housing. The CMA has led on the consumer detriment survey which will shortly be published and it is important that this helps guide the CMA’s work to ensure that it focuses on areas where there are high levels of detriment.