UKI was misled by fake online reviews. Is this an unfair trading practice?
Yes, being misled by fake online reviews is an unfair trading practice under UK law, as it constitutes misleading action and breaches the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.
What the Law Says
The UK prohibits fake online reviews as a form of misleading commercial practice that distorts consumer behaviour.
Under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPRs), traders must not engage in 'unfair trading practices' — including 'misleading actions' that deceive or are likely to deceive the average consumer.
Publishing or commissioning fake reviews — such as paid positive reviews or suppressing negative ones — is explicitly listed in Schedule 1 (the 'blacklist') of the CPRs as an automatically unfair practice.
The CPRs apply to all traders selling goods, services, or digital content to consumers in the UK, whether based here or abroad but targeting UK consumers.
Statutory TextA commercial practice is misleading if it contains false information and is therefore untruthful or in any way deceives or is likely to deceive the average consumer.
— Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, reg. 5 — Misleading actions
Statutory TextFailing to disclose that a review was written by a person who has received payment or other inducement to write it.
— Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, Sch. 1, para. 17 — Blacklisted practices
Statutory TextCreating and disseminating fake consumer reviews or testimonials.
— Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, Sch. 1, para. 16 — Blacklisted practices
What to Do
Report the fake reviews to the trader and request a full refund or remedy within 31 days of purchase.
Report the trader to Citizens Advice via the online reporting tool or call 0808 223 1133.
Submit evidence (e.g., screenshots, timestamps, suspicious reviewer patterns) to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) at https://www.cma.gov.uk.
If you’ve suffered financial loss, consider seeking redress through the small claims court (up to £10,000).
Sources
Not legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: 2026-06-08.