On 9 August 2026, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced a series of planned ‘everyday fixes’ on the cost of living, starting with two measures. One would ban retailers from making misleading claims about discounts, such as inflating prices before advertising ‘discounts’. An autumn consultation was planned to assess whether fake ‘was’ prices, invented discounts and misleading recommended retail prices should be added to practices banned under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act. The government said current law makes such cases difficult for enforcers.

New subscription rules were planned to come into force in January 2027. Businesses would need to give clearer up-front information, regular reminders and an easier exit, with a 14-day cooling-off period letting consumers cancel after a trial or long-term contract renews. The government said this could save an average of £14 a month per unwanted subscription, citing around 155 million active UK subscriptions and an estimated £1.6 billion a year spent on unwanted ones. Certain charitable memberships for cultural and heritage organisations were to be excluded.

Burnham said the measures aimed to end “phoney bargains” and make subscriptions as easy to leave as to join. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and consumer groups welcomed the plans, with Citizens Advice urging swift detail through the consultation.