CCPC targets cost of living pressures, stronger enforcement and fairer digital markets in new three-year strategy

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has today published its strategy statement for 2027–2029, setting out how it will help consumers facing cost of living pressures, strengthen enforcement, and ensure that increasingly digital markets work better for consumers.

Many households continue to face cost of living pressures. At the same time, digital technologies and AI are changing how consumers shop, compare products and make financial decisions. The CCPC has built a pipeline of cases and combined with expected legislation and powers to administer consumer protection fines, it intends to increase enforcement. The strategy sets out how the CCPC will focus its efforts where it can have the greatest impact.

The strategy builds on a period of record activity. Over the past three years, the CCPC reached record levels of competition and consumer protection enforcement, completed more than 200 merger determinations and secured 14 successful prosecutions. It also helped thousands of consumers obtain redress and prevented more than 500,000 unsafe or non-compliant products from reaching the market.

Brian McHugh, Chair of the Commission, said:

"Consumers expect markets to work for them, not against them. When competition is weak, when businesses mislead consumers, whether online or on the high street the CCPC will act."

"This strategy focuses on the issues that matter most. We will help consumers facing cost-of-living pressures, strengthen enforcement, improve compliance and ensure digital markets are fair and transparent."

"We will not hesitate to use our powers where consumers are harmed or competition is undermined. Our goal is simple: markets that work better for consumers, businesses and the wider economy."

The new strategy, comes into effect on 1 January 2027, and has five strategic goals:

• Help consumers with cost-of-living pressures by investigating affordability in essential markets like retail pharmacy;
• Drive a step change in business compliance with consumer protection and product safety law through stronger enforcement and improved deterrence, including targeted interventions where there is consumer harm e.g. white goods sector;
• Maximise effectiveness in competition enforcement and merger control, including tackling cartels and anti-competitive conduct, particularly in areas that affect consumers and public spending e.g. cartels in public procurement;
• Make digital markets work better for consumers, addressing harms like fake reviews, unsafe products sold online and misleading uses of AI; and
• Deliver more impact through efficiency and capability improvements, including greater use of data, automation and AI.