A trader used misleading pricing to trick me into buying. Is this illegal?

What the Law Says

UK law strictly prohibits traders from using misleading pricing practices that distort your purchasing decision.

The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPRs) make it illegal for traders to engage in 'unfair commercial practices', including misleading actions or omissions about price. This covers fake discounts, false 'was/now' pricing, hiding extra charges, or comparing with inflated reference prices.

Regulation 5 defines an unfair commercial practice as one that 'contravenes the requirements of professional diligence' and 'materially distorts or is likely to materially distort the average consumer’s economic behaviour'. Regulation 6 specifically bans 'misleading actions', and Regulation 7 bans 'misleading omissions'.

Regulation 12 makes it a criminal offence to engage in such conduct — punishable by up to 2 years’ imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine on indictment, or up to 6 months’ imprisonment and/or a £5,000 fine in magistrates’ courts.

Statutory Text

A commercial practice is misleading if it contains false information or is otherwise deceptive, and causes or is likely to cause the average consumer to take a transactional decision he would not have taken otherwise.

— Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, reg. 6(1) — Misleading actions

Statutory Text

A commercial practice is unfair if it contravenes the requirements of professional diligence and materially distorts or is likely to materially distort the average consumer’s economic behaviour.

— Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, reg. 5(1) — Unfair commercial practices

Sources