Voxly Vision
Does this apply to me?
The DMCC Act applies to virtually any business selling to UK consumers, across every channel. It matters for:
- Pricing and how prices are presented — including any mandatory fees
- Online reviews and testimonials
- Advertising claims of all kinds
- Subscription traps and auto-renewals
It is enforced directly by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The headline change is that the CMA can now investigate, rule and fine firms up to 10% of global annual turnover without first going through the courts — a power it did not previously hold.
Key rules
The provisions that matter most for advertisers:
- No drip pricing. The total unavoidable price, including mandatory fees, must be shown upfront — not revealed later in the journey.
- No fake or misleading reviews. Commissioning, hosting or failing to remove fake reviews is banned.
- No misleading actions or omissions, carrying over the long-standing unfair trading principles.
- Clear subscription information and straightforward cancellation.
Common breaches
The practices now firmly in the CMA's sights:
- Drip pricing — adding compulsory booking, service or admin fees after the headline price.
- Fake and incentivised reviews presented as genuine.
- Pressure selling — false urgency, countdown timers and fake scarcity.
- Subscription traps — hard-to-cancel or auto-renewing contracts.
How Voxly Vision checks an ad against this code
Every report shows an overall verdict, the rules at stake and a recommended fix. Under the DMCC Act, Voxly Vision looks for headline prices that leave out mandatory fees, review claims and false urgency before an ad goes live.
Recent rulings
AA Driving School and BSM
Fined £4.2m · 15 Apr 2026
A mandatory £3 booking fee was left out of the headline lesson price shown to more than 80,000 learners. The CMA's first fine under its new powers, plus £760k in refunds.
Rules breached: s.230 Drip pricing, total price upfront
Frequently asked questions
What is drip pricing?
Showing a low headline price and then adding unavoidable fees later in the buying process. Under the DMCC Act the total price, including mandatory charges, must be shown upfront.
How big can DMCC fines be?
Up to 10% of a firm's global annual turnover, imposed directly by the CMA.
Does the CMA need to go to court to fine a firm?
No. The headline change under the DMCC Act is that the CMA can investigate, decide and fine without first going through the courts.
Are fake reviews illegal under the DMCC Act?
Yes. Commissioning, publishing or failing to take reasonable steps to remove fake reviews is banned.