Consultation on online consumer protection

[Legal Beagles]

Protecting UK consumers online is the focus of a long-term strategy launched for consultation by the OFT. The strategy proposes three broad areas for action to protect consumers and drive competition and economic growth in online markets.

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[Amethyst]

Re: Consultation on online consumer protection

The strategy proposes three broad areas for action to protect consumers and drive competition and economic growth in online markets. The OFT suggests that it could, with other agencies, industry and consumers, work to:

• Promote business compliance by improving the effectiveness of guidance, facilitating industry-led solutions to new problems, and sharing intelligence.
• Develop effective enforcement through working with businesses and other enforcers, developing further enforcement capacity, and focusing on areas where enforcement has the most impact.
• Empower consumers by explaining their rights and the benefits of transacting online, helping them become more internet-savvy, and providing them with the tools to fix problems they may encounter.

• Download e-consumer protection - a public consultation on proposals (pdf 690kb)
  submit responses to e-consumer protection strategy
• Download Annexe A - Empowering consumers (pdf 292kb)
  submit responses for empowering consumers
• Download Annexe B - Promoting business compliance (pdf 301kb)
  submit responses for promoting business compliance
• Download Annexe C - Enforcement (pdf 399kb)
  submit responses for enforcement
• Download Annexe D - Measuring success (pdf 236kb)
  submit responses for measuring success

''A.10 The OFT could investigate ways of efficiently searching and analysing
complaint information collected in order to inform action, including
incorporating data from third parties where this adds useful information
regarding infringements of consumer legislation.''


''Empowering Consumers – currently not all consumers know their
rights, have easy access to redress, or take steps to keep themselves safe
Educate – 2. Joint education and awareness campaigns
Possible action
A.17 Maximise the effectiveness of awareness and education campaigns by
determining common themes, agreeing content and timing with econsumer
protection bodies and industry, recognising that there is a
current freeze on paid marketing activity by Government.
Consultation Question:
EC3. What are the barriers to carrying out joint education/marketing campaigns?
EC4. Which organisations should be involved? Are businesses interested in
becoming involved? How?''