Feefo Consumer Protection Enforcement Investigation

UK CMA Cases

Filed March 26th, 2026

Detected March 27th, 2026

Summary

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has opened an investigation into Feefo Holdings Limited for potential violations of consumer protection law regarding the publication of online reviews and star ratings. The investigation will examine whether Feefo unfairly presented consumer experiences by not publishing certain 1-star reviews.

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What changed

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has initiated an enforcement investigation into Feefo Holdings Limited concerning potential breaches of consumer protection law, specifically under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. The investigation focuses on Feefo's practices related to the moderation and publication of consumer reviews and star ratings, questioning whether the exclusion of certain 1-star reviews denied consumers a complete picture of customer experiences on platforms like Autotrader.

While this is an initial stage and no infringement has been confirmed, Feefo is now subject to evidence gathering by the CMA. Compliance officers should note that this investigation signals increased scrutiny on online review platforms and their adherence to fair commercial practices. The CMA will engage with Feefo to assess compliance, and further updates are expected by September 2026. The investigation also involves processing personal data under UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018.

What to do next

Review online review moderation policies for compliance with consumer protection law.
Ensure all consumer reviews, including negative ones, are published or accounted for in ratings to provide a rounded customer experience.
Monitor CMA updates regarding this investigation, with the next update due in September 2026.

Source document (simplified)

Feefo: consumer protection enforcement case

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating Feefo Holdings Limited’s (‘Feefo’) compliance with the law on unfair commercial practices under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCC Act) in relation to publishing consumer reviews and consumer review information like star ratings.

From: Competition and Markets Authority Published 27 March 2026 Case type: Consumer enforcement Case state: Open Market sector: Communications Opened: 26 March 2026

Case timetable

| Date | Action |
| --- | --- |
| March 2026 to September 2026 | Initial investigation: information and evidence gathering (next case update September 2026) |
| 26 March 2026 | Investigation opened |

Case opening

26 March 2026: The CMA has opened an investigation into Feefo’s compliance with consumer protection law.

The CMA is investigating whether a number of 1-star reviews – which were moderated by Feefo Limited – were not published on Autotrader’s platform, and were not counted towards star ratings, therefore denying consumers a fully rounded picture of other customers’ experiences.

The CMA will now engage with Feefo and gather evidence to consider whether the CMA thinks Feefo has infringed consumer protection law.

At this initial stage, it should not be assumed that Feefo has infringed consumer protection law and no finding has been made.

Press release: Fake and misleading reviews: 5 businesses under CMA investigation (27.3.26)

Contacts

onlinereviews@cma.gov.uk
Laila Benfaida, Assistant Director
Jon Riley, Director
Hayley Fletcher, Senior Responsible Officer

Personal information

Your name and contact details are your personal data. The CMA may collect, use and share personal data for its consumer protection investigation under Part 3 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. This includes processing personal data for the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018.

For more information about how the CMA handles personal information, please see our personal information charter.