Price Transparency Is Important, It Affects Everyone

In this post for the CMA, author Emma Cochrane explains the importance of clear and timely pricing information for consumers. Transparent pricing helps shoppers make informed decisions about what to buy and where to buy it. When pricing is misleading—either by omission or inaccuracy—it can result in consumers paying more than expected and damage trust in the market. This not only impacts consumer confidence but also disadvantages fair businesses that follow the rules.

Cochrane highlights that most businesses aim to compete fairly by offering good value and clear pricing. To support them, the CMA has published a draft Price Transparency Guidance for consultation, designed to help businesses comply with new rules introduced under the Digital Markets Competition and Consumer Act 2024 (DMCCA). The CMA is actively seeking feedback over the summer to ensure the guidance is practical and effective in promoting compliance.

The CMA has long prioritized price transparency as essential to well-functioning markets. Through investigations, enforcement, and sector-specific guidance, it continues to push for fairer practices that empower consumers and encourage healthy competition. As Cochrane notes, when consumers trust pricing, markets work better for everyone…

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