Consumer Rights Act 2015

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 (the 'CRA 2015') came into force on 1 October 2015. It sets out a simple modern framework of consumer rights. Its aim is to increase consumer confidence and make enforcement easier.

Parts 1 and 2 of the CRA 2015 are designed to:

• give consumers certain statutory rights relating to consumer contracts for goods, digital content, and services (Part 1)

• give consumers certain statutory remedies in the event of a breach of these statutory rights (Part 1)

• reform and consolidate the law relating to unfair terms in consumer contracts (Part 2)

In addition, schedule 5 to Part 3 of the act consolidates and simplifies enforcers’ powers to investigate potential breaches of consumer law and clarifies that certain enforcers (trading standards) can operate across local authority boundaries. With effect from 6 April 2025, certain investigatory powers were amended by schedule 17 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA 2024).

Private action may be taken by consumers for breaches of their statutory rights under Parts 1 and 2 of the CRA 2015. In addition, under Part 3 of the DMCCA 2024, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and certain other public enforcers (such as Trading Standards) can take enforcement action against traders for infringements of Parts 1 and 2 of the CRA 2015.

The CRA 2015 extends to England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. However, some parts of the act include separate rules for Scotland.

This briefing outlines the background to the CRA 2015 and considers in detail the consumer protection provisions found in Parts 1 and 2. Specifically, it looks at statutory rights in respect of consumer contracts for goods, digital content and services and considers how the act treats unfair terms in consumer contracts and notices. It also summarises consumer law enforcement under the DMCCA 2004.