Citation and interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Commencement No. 2) Regulations 2025.

(2) In these Regulations, “ the Act” means the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.

Provisions of the Act coming into force on 6th April 2025

2.—(1) The provisions of the Act specified in the following paragraphs of this regulation come into force on 6th April 2025, to the extent that they are not in force immediately before that date.

(2) Part 3 (enforcement of consumer protection law)( 2).

(3) Chapter 1 (protection from unfair trading) of Part 4 (consumer rights and disputes), except sections 232, 234 and 235( 3).

(4) In Chapter 3 of Part 5 (miscellaneous), subsection (2) of section 327 (duty of expedition on the CMA and sectoral regulators), to the extent that it inserts Part 3 of Schedule 4A (functions to which the CMA’s duty of expedition applies) into the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013( 4).

(5) Section 335 (minor and consequential amendments), but only to the extent that it relates to the following paragraphs in Schedule 30 (minor and consequential amendments)—

(a) paragraph 5(a) (amendments to the Telecommunications Act 1984( 5));

(b) paragraph 7(a) (amendments to the Airports Act 1986( 6));

(c) paragraph 9(a) (amendments to the Water Act 1989( 7));

(d) paragraph 16(b) (amendments to the Water Industry Act 1991( 8));

(e) paragraph 20(a) (amendments to the Railways Act 1993( 9));

(f) paragraph 24(a) (amendments to the Coal Industry Act 1994( 10));

(g) paragraph 25(a) (amendments to the Greater London Authority Act 1999( 11));

(h) paragraph 26(a) (amendments to the Utilities Act 2000( 12));

(i) paragraph 27(b) (amendments to the Transport Act 2000( 13));

(j) paragraph 28(a) (amendments to the Communications Act 2003( 14));

(k) paragraph 29(a) (amendments to the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006( 15));

(l) paragraph 33(b) (amendments to the Civil Aviation Act 2012( 16));

(m) paragraph 35(a) (amendments to the Energy (Northern Ireland Order 2003( 17));

(n) paragraph 43(a) (amendments to the Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006( 18));

(o) paragraph 45(a) (amendments to the Postal Services Act 2011 (Disclosure of Information) Order 2012( 19)).

(6) Schedule 15 (consumer protection enactments).

(7) Schedule 16 (direct enforcement enactments).

(8) Schedule 17 (investigatory powers).

(9) Schedule 18 (Part 3: minor and consequential amendments).

(10) Schedule 19 (Part 3: transitional and saving provisions).

(11) Schedule 20 (commercial practices which are in all circumstances considered unfair).

(12) Schedule 21 (Chapter 1 of Part 4: consequential amendments).

(13) Schedule 29 (duty of expedition on sectoral regulators in respect of their competition functions) to the extent that it relates to the provisions specified in paragraph (4).

(14) Schedule 30 (minor and consequential amendments), to the extent that it relates to the provisions specified in paragraph (5).

Provisions of the Act coming into force on 1st January 2026

3.  Chapter 3 (consumer savings schemes) of Part 4 (consumer rights and disputes) of, and Schedule 24 (excluded arrangements) to, the Act come into force on 1st January 2026, to the extent that they are not in force immediately before that date.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations bring into force certain provisions of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (c.13)(“ the Act”) on 6th April 2025 and bring further provisions, relating to consumer savings, into force on 1st January 2026. These are the second commencement Regulations made under the Act.

These Regulations bring into force the following provisions of the Act, on 6th April 2025, to the extent that they are not in force immediately before that date:

• Part 3 (enforcement of consumer protection law), which confers enforcement powers, and makes provision about other remedies, in connection with infringements of consumer protection law;

• Chapter 1 (protection from unfair trading) of Part 4 (consumer rights and disputes), except sections 232, 234 and 235 which relate to consumers’ right of redress in relation to unfair commercial practices. Chapter 1 of Part 4 of the Act repeals and replaces the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 ( S.I. 2008/1277);

• in Chapter 3 of Part 5 (miscellaneous), section 327(2) (duty of expedition on the CMA and sectoral regulators) to the extent that it inserts Part 3 (consumer functions) of Schedule 4A (functions to which the CMA’s duty of expedition applies) into the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (c. 24);

• in Part 6 (general) section 335 together with the specified paragraphs of Schedule 30 (minor and consequential amendments); and

• the Schedules which are relevant to the provisions outlined above.

These Regulations additionally bring into force Chapter 3 (consumer savings schemes) of Part 4 of, and Schedule 24 (excluded arrangements) to, the Act on 1st January 2026 to the extent that they are not in force immediately before that date.

The impact assessments completed for the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill, introduced to Parliament on 25th April 2023, contain an assessment of the effect that the reforms to the consumer regime will have on the costs of business, the voluntary sector and the public sector. They are available at:https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3453/publications. Printed copies can be obtained from the Department for Business and Trade, Old Admiralty Building, Admiralty Place, London, SW1A 2DY.

NOTE AS TO EARLIER COMMENCEMENT Regulations

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

The following provisions of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (c.13)have been brought into force by commencement Regulations made before the date of these Regulations.