Compliance Week quoted McGuireWoods London partner Matthew Hall in an April 1, 2026, article on the U.K.’s Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act’s implications for businesses operating in the U.K. market.
The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is now empowered to directly investigate, determine breaches and impose fines of up to 10% of global turnover without going to court, Compliance Week reported. The legislation applies to any company with a U.K. connection, including U.S. and European companies trading in the U.K.
Hall explained how companies can mitigate their risk under the new enforcement regime, particularly regarding environmental and “greenwashing” claims. He noted that businesses can be held liable for repeating a false claim simply by stocking a product.
“Each business in a supply chain should therefore take steps to ensure claims such as green claims are accurate and not misleading,” Hall said. He added that companies can use contractual arrangements to require assurances from suppliers, and, if information is not forthcoming or reliable, to “consider making the claim differently in a way the business can verify.”
Hall also cautioned companies against making casual claims.
“All companies should avoid making casual claims, especially as they may be deemed misleading even if not intended, as the CMA is able to pursue a company even for an innocent or unwitting breach of consumer protection law,” he said. “It is also not a defence for a business to argue that it took all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence to avoid making a misleading claim.”