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UK Law Reference
Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 overview

Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 — full text by section

Consolidated text as published on legislation.gov.uk, snapshot 2026-08-24. Read the Act on legislation.gov.uk

340 sections. Default extent: E+W+S+N.I..

  1. s.1Overview
  2. s.2Designation of undertaking
  3. s.3Digital activities
  4. s.4Link to the United Kingdom
  5. s.5Substantial and entrenched market power
  6. s.6Position of strategic significance
  7. s.7The turnover condition
  8. s.8Turnover of an undertaking
  9. s.9Initial SMS investigations
  10. s.10Further SMS investigations
  11. s.11Procedure relating to SMS investigations
  12. s.12Closing an initial SMS investigation without a decision
  13. s.13Consultation on proposed decision
  14. s.14Outcome of SMS investigations
  15. s.15Notice requirements: decisions about whether to designate
  16. s.16Notice requirements: decisions to revoke a designation
  17. s.17Existing obligations
  18. s.18Designation period
  19. s.19Power to impose conduct requirements
  20. s.20Permitted types of conduct requirement
  21. s.21Content of notice imposing a conduct requirement
  22. s.22Revocation of conduct requirements
  23. s.23Transitional provision relating to conduct requirements etc
  24. s.24Consultation in relation to a conduct requirement
  25. s.25Duty to keep conduct requirements under review
  26. s.26Power to begin a conduct investigation
  27. s.27Consideration of representations
  28. s.28Closing a conduct investigation without making a finding
  29. s.29Countervailing benefits exemption
  30. s.30Notice of findings
  31. s.31Enforcement orders
  32. s.32Interim enforcement orders
  33. s.33Duration of enforcement orders
  34. s.34Revocation of enforcement orders
  35. s.35Duty to keep enforcement orders under review
  36. s.36Commitments
  37. s.37Duty to keep commitments under review
  38. s.38Power to adopt final offer mechanism
  39. s.39Collective submissions
  40. s.40Final offer mechanism
  41. s.41Final offers: outcome
  42. s.42Final offer orders: supplementary
  43. s.43Decision not to make final offer order
  44. s.44Duration and revocation of final offer orders
  45. s.45Duty to keep final offer orders under review
  46. s.46Power to make pro-competition interventions
  47. s.47Power to begin a PCI investigation etc
  48. s.48Procedure relating to PCI investigations
  49. s.49Consultation on proposed PCI decision
  50. s.50PCI decision
  51. s.51Pro-competition orders
  52. s.52Replacement of pro-competition orders
  53. s.53Duration and revocation etc of pro-competition orders
  54. s.54Consultation
  55. s.55Duty to review pro-competition orders etc
  56. s.56Commitments
  57. s.57Duty to report possible mergers etc
  58. s.58Qualifying status
  59. s.59Value of consideration
  60. s.60Content of report etc
  61. s.61Application of the duty to report etc
  62. s.62Acceptance of report
  63. s.63Delay to possible mergers etc
  64. s.64Timing of a reportable event
  65. s.65Authorisation for one person to act for another
  66. s.66Applications for review of decisions relating to mergers
  67. s.67Regulations about duty to report
  68. s.68Duty to keep compliance under review
  69. s.69Power to require information
  70. s.70Requirement to name a senior manager
  71. s.71Power of access
  72. s.72Power to interview
  73. s.73Use of interview statements in prosecution
  74. s.74Power to enter business premises without a warrant
  75. s.75Power to enter premises under a warrant
  76. s.76Power to enter premises under a warrant: supplementary
  77. s.77Amendments to the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001
  78. s.78Application for a warrant
  79. s.79Reports by skilled persons
  80. s.80Duty to preserve information
  81. s.81Privileged communications
  82. s.82Power of CMA to publish notice of investigative assistance
  83. s.83Nominated officer
  84. s.84Compliance reports
  85. s.85Penalties for failure to comply with competition requirements
  86. s.86Amount of penalties under section 85
  87. s.87Penalties for failure to comply with investigative requirements
  88. s.88Amount of penalties under section 87
  89. s.89Procedure and appeals etc
  90. s.90Calculation of daily rates and turnover
  91. s.91Statement of policy on penalties
  92. s.92Monetary penalties: criminal proceedings and convictions
  93. s.93Destroying or falsifying information
  94. s.94False or misleading information
  95. s.95Obstructing an officer
  96. s.96Offences by officers of a body corporate etc
  97. s.97Offences: limits on extra-territorial jurisdiction
  98. s.98Sentences
  99. s.99Director disqualification
  100. s.100Enforcement of requirements
  101. s.101Rights to enforce requirements of this Part
  102. s.102Treatment of CMA breach decisions etc
  103. s.103Applications for review etc
  104. s.104Extension etc of periods
  105. s.105Extensions: supplementary
  106. s.106Exercise and delegation of functions
  107. s.107Coordination with relevant regulators
  108. s.108Recommendations to the CMA
  109. s.109Information sharing
  110. s.110Power to charge levy
  111. s.111Extra-territorial application
  112. s.112Defamation
  113. s.113Consultation and publication of documents
  114. s.114Guidance
  115. s.115Protected disclosures
  116. s.116Restriction on disclosure orders
  117. s.117Groups
  118. s.118General interpretation
  119. s.119Removal of requirement for agreements etc to be implemented in the UK
  120. s.120Repeal of exclusions relating to the European Coal and Steel Community
  121. s.121Duty to preserve documents relevant to investigations
  122. s.122Production of information authorised by warrant
  123. s.123Additional powers of seizure from domestic premises
  124. s.124Standard of review on appeals against interim measures directions
  125. s.125Declaratory relief
  126. s.126Exemplary damages
  127. s.127Relevant merger situations and special merger situations
  128. s.128Fast-track references under sections 22 and 33 of EA 2002
  129. s.129Mergers of energy network enterprises
  130. s.130Mergers involving newspaper enterprises and foreign powers
  131. s.131Mutual agreements to extend time-limits: duty to make reference cases
  132. s.132Mutual agreements to extend time-limits: public interest cases
  133. s.133Publication of merger notices online
  134. s.134Market studies: removal of time-limit on pre-reference consultation
  135. s.135Power to make a reference after previously deciding not to do so
  136. s.136Scope of market investigations
  137. s.137Acceptance of undertakings at any stage of a market study or investigation
  138. s.138Final undertakings and orders: power to conduct trials
  139. s.139Duty of CMA to monitor undertakings and orders
  140. s.140Taking action in relation to regulated markets
  141. s.141Production of information authorised by warrant
  142. s.142Attendance of witnesses etc
  143. s.143Civil penalties etc in connection with competition matters
  144. s.144Service and extra-territoriality of notices under CA 1998 and EA 2002
  145. s.145Orders and regulations under CA 1998 and EA 2002
  146. s.146Meaning of “working day” in Parts 3 and 4 of EA 2002
  147. s.147Overview
  148. s.148Relevant infringements
  149. s.149The UK connection condition
  150. s.150The specified prohibition condition
  151. s.151Enforcers
  152. s.152Designation criteria
  153. s.153Applications
  154. s.154CMA directions to other enforcers
  155. s.155Consultation
  156. s.156Enforcement orders and undertakings
  157. s.157Enforcement orders and undertakings: enhanced consumer measures
  158. s.158Enforcement orders: requirement to pay monetary penalty
  159. s.159Interim enforcement orders and undertakings
  160. s.160Applications
  161. s.161Online interface orders
  162. s.162Interim online interface orders
  163. s.163Acceptance of undertakings by enforcers
  164. s.164Undertakings under section 163: enhanced consumer measures
  165. s.165Undertakings under section 163: procedural requirements
  166. s.166Consumer protection orders or undertakings to court: further proceedings
  167. s.167Undertakings to public designated enforcers: further proceedings
  168. s.168Monetary penalties under sections 166 and 167: amount
  169. s.169Notification requirements: applications
  170. s.170Notification requirements: undertakings
  171. s.171Notification requirements: proceedings
  172. s.172Notification requirements: convictions and judgments
  173. s.173Appropriate court
  174. s.174Effect of orders in other parts of the United Kingdom
  175. s.175Evidence
  176. s.176Interconnected bodies corporate
  177. s.177Enhanced consumer measures: private designated enforcers
  178. s.178Substantiation of claims
  179. s.179Crown application
  180. s.180Power of CMA to investigate suspected infringements
  181. s.181Provisional infringement notice
  182. s.182Final infringement notice
  183. s.183Final infringement notice: directions to take enhanced consumer measures
  184. s.184Online interface notices
  185. s.185Undertakings
  186. s.186Effect of undertakings under section 185
  187. s.187Undertakings under section 185: procedural requirements
  188. s.188Provisional breach of undertakings enforcement notice
  189. s.189Final breach of undertakings enforcement notice
  190. s.190Monetary penalties under section 189: amount
  191. s.191Provisional breach of directions enforcement notice
  192. s.192Final breach of directions enforcement notice
  193. s.193Monetary penalties under section 192: amount
  194. s.194Powers of court to enforce directions
  195. s.195Substantiation of claims
  196. s.196Variation or revocation of directions
  197. s.197Provisional false information enforcement notice
  198. s.198Final false information enforcement notice
  199. s.199Statement of policy in relation to monetary penalties
  200. s.200Interconnected bodies corporate
  201. s.201Record-keeping and reporting requirements
  202. s.202Appeals
  203. s.203Information to accompany orders or notices imposing monetary penalties
  204. s.204Determination of turnover
  205. s.205Power to amend amounts
  206. s.206Recovery of monetary penalties
  207. s.207Monetary penalties: further provision
  208. s.208Investigatory powers of enforcers
  209. s.209Powers to amend Schedule 15 and Schedule 16
  210. s.210Rules
  211. s.211Procedural requirements for making of rules
  212. s.212Guidance
  213. s.213Defamation
  214. s.214Minor and consequential amendments relating to this Part
  215. s.215Transitional and saving provision relating to this Part
  216. s.216Enforcement of requirements relating to secondary ticketing
  217. s.217Supply of goods or digital content
  218. s.218Supply of services
  219. s.219Accessories
  220. s.220Special relationships
  221. s.221Enhanced consumer measures
  222. s.222Other interpretative provisions
  223. s.223Index of defined expressions
  224. s.224Overview
  225. s.225Prohibition of unfair commercial practices
  226. s.226Misleading actions
  227. s.227Misleading omissions
  228. s.228Aggressive practices
  229. s.229Contravention of the requirements of professional diligence
  230. s.230Omission of material information from invitation to purchase
  231. s.231Public enforcement
  232. s.232Rights of redress
  233. s.233Rights of redress: further provision
  234. s.234Enforcement of rights of redress
  235. s.235Relationship between rights of redress and other claims relating to prohibited practices
  236. s.236Inertia selling
  237. s.237Offences
  238. s.238Defence of due diligence and innocent publication
  239. s.239Offences: criminal liability of others
  240. s.240Penalty for offences
  241. s.241Time limit for prosecution
  242. s.242Powers to amend this Chapter
  243. s.243Crown application
  244. s.244Validity of agreements
  245. s.245Meaning of “transactional decision”
  246. s.246Meaning of “average consumer”: general
  247. s.247Meaning of “average consumer”: vulnerable persons
  248. s.248Meaning of “product”
  249. s.249General interpretation
  250. s.250Index of defined terms
  251. s.251Consequential amendments relating to this Chapter
  252. s.252Transitional and saving provision relating to this Chapter
  253. s.253Overview
  254. s.254Meaning of “subscription contract”
  255. s.255Excluded contracts
  256. s.256Pre-contract information
  257. s.257Pre-contract information: additional requirements
  258. s.258Reminder notices
  259. s.259Content and timing etc of reminder notices
  260. s.260Arrangements for consumers to exercise right to end contract
  261. s.261Duties of trader on cancellation or end of subscription contract
  262. s.262Terms implied into contracts
  263. s.263Right to cancel for breach of implied term
  264. s.264Right to cancel during cooling-off periods
  265. s.265Meaning of “initial cooling-off period” and “renewal cooling-off period”
  266. s.266Cooling-off notice
  267. s.267Cancellation of subscription contract: further provision
  268. s.268Offence of failing to provide information about initial cooling-off rights
  269. s.269Defence of due diligence
  270. s.270Offences by officers of a body corporate etc
  271. s.271Penalty for offence and enforcement
  272. s.272Information and notices: timing and burden of proof
  273. s.273Terms of a subscription contract which are of no effect
  274. s.274Other remedies for breach by trader
  275. s.275Application of this Chapter
  276. s.276Crown application
  277. s.277Power to make further provision in connection with this Chapter
  278. s.278Consequential amendments to the Consumer Rights Act 2015
  279. s.279Other consequential amendments
  280. s.280Interpretation
  281. s.281Index of defined expressions
  282. s.282Meaning of “consumer savings scheme contract”
  283. s.283Other defined terms
  284. s.284Excluded arrangements
  285. s.285Insolvency protection requirement
  286. s.286Insurance arrangements
  287. s.287Trust arrangements
  288. s.288Information requirements
  289. s.289Consequential amendments
  290. s.290Interpretation
  291. s.291Meaning of “ADR” and related terms
  292. s.292Other definitions
  293. s.293Prohibitions relating to acting as ADR provider
  294. s.294Prohibitions relating to charging fees to consumers
  295. s.295Exempt ADR providers
  296. s.296Applications for accreditation or variation of accreditation
  297. s.297Determination of applications for accreditation or variation of accreditation
  298. s.298Revocation or suspension of accreditations etc
  299. s.299Fees payable by accredited ADR providers
  300. s.300ADR fees regulations
  301. s.301Accreditation criteria
  302. s.302Enforcement notices
  303. s.303ADR information regulations
  304. s.304ADR information directions
  305. s.305Disclosure of ADR information by the Secretary of State
  306. s.306Meaning of “ADR information” and other terms in sections 303 to 305
  307. s.307Power to provide for other persons to have accreditation functions etc
  308. s.308Duty of trader to notify consumer of ADR arrangements etc
  309. s.309Consequential amendments etc relating to this Chapter
  310. s.310Transitional provision relating to this Chapter
  311. s.311Provision of information about competition in connection with motor fuel
  312. s.312Penalties for failure to comply with notices under section 311
  313. s.313Procedure and appeals
  314. s.314Statement of policy on penalties
  315. s.315Offences etc
  316. s.316Penalties under section 312 and offences under section 315
  317. s.317Information sharing
  318. s.318Expiry of this Chapter
  319. s.319Provision of investigative assistance to overseas regulators
  320. s.320Requests for investigative assistance
  321. s.321The appropriateness of providing investigative assistance
  322. s.322Authorisation of the provision of investigative assistance
  323. s.323Notifications in respect of requests for investigative assistance
  324. s.324Guidance in connection with investigative assistance
  325. s.325Amendments to other legislation
  326. s.326Disclosing information overseas
  327. s.327Duty of expedition on the CMA and sectoral regulators
  328. s.328Offenders assisting investigations and prosecutions: powers of the CMA
  329. s.329Removal of limit on the tenure of a chair of the Competition Appeal Tribunal
  330. s.330Interpretation
  331. s.331Data protection
  332. s.332Notices
  333. s.333Consultation
  334. s.334Financial provision
  335. s.335Minor and consequential amendments
  336. s.336Power to make further consequential provision
  337. s.337Regulations
  338. s.338Extent
  339. s.339Commencement
  340. s.340Short title