Appliances Direct: consumer protection enforcement case
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigated suspected infringements of consumer law in relation to the use of time-limited offers and the addition of optional charges by Buy it Direct Ltd, trading as Appliances Direct (‘Appliances Direct’) in the UK and gave a Final Infringement Notice reflecting the settlement of the case.
The CMA has ordered several businesses to provide refunds or compensation to customers. Find out more and if you’re eligible for a refund or compensation.
Case timetable
| Date | Action |
| 14 October 2026 | Settlement announced |
| 12 October 2026 | Final Infringement Notice given |
| 18 June 2026 | Investigation ongoing |
| November 2025 to March 2026 | Initial investigation: information and evidence gathering |
| 17 November 2025 | Investigation opened |
Case closure: Final Infringement Notice and settlement
12 October 2026: The CMA has given a Final Infringement Notice to Buy It Direct and has imposed a financial penalty of £1,200,000 for infringing consumer protection law. The penalty includes a 40% reduction for settling the case to reflect resource savings to the CMA generated by the company’s admissions, and its agreement to adhere to a streamlined administrative procedure and to comply with the other conditions of settlement, including agreeing not to appeal the decision.
In addition to the financial penalty, Buy It Direct have been ordered to pay around £432,000 in refunds to customers affected by opt-ins between 6 April 2025 and 17 November 2025 – with average pay outs being £25 per customer.
Press release: CMA fines firms £6 million for misleading sales tactics (14.10.26)
Case opening
17 November 2025: The CMA has opened an investigation into Appliances Direct’s compliance with consumer protection law.
The CMA is investigating whether Appliances Direct’s time-limited sales ended when they said they would and whether customers are being automatically opted in to purchasing additional services.
The CMA will now engage with Appliances Direct and gather evidence to consider whether the CMA thinks Appliances Direct has infringed consumer protection law.
At this initial stage, it should not be assumed that Appliances Direct has infringed consumer protection law, and no finding has been made.
- Press release: CMA launches major consumer protection drive focused on online pricing practices (18.11.25)
Contact
- general.enquiries@cma.gov.uk
- Cecilia Parker Aranha, 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 when carrying out its statutory functions to investigate and take action under the consumer protection legislation which the CMA enforces (including 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 read our personal information charter.