Burnham Brings Forward Ban on Subscription Traps and Fake Discounts to Ease Cost of Living

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced plans to bring forward a ban on subscription traps and fake pricing, as part of a series of measures aimed at easing household cost-of-living pressures during his tour of the United Kingdom.

The measures, originally announced by Burnham's predecessor Sir Keir Starmer in April, were expected to come into force next spring. Burnham's government has now committed to implementing them by January 2027, several months ahead of schedule.

What the new rules will cover

The incoming legislation will target two specific practices. Businesses will be required to make it significantly easier for consumers to cancel unwanted subscriptions. New rules will mandate clearer upfront information, regular reminders before automatic renewal, and a straightforward exit from contracts including a 14-day cooling-off period.

The government is also moving to outlaw fake "was" prices — the practice where retailers advertise artificially inflated original prices to make discounts appear larger than they actually are.

Speaking during his UK tour, Burnham said: "I'm determined to pull every single lever we can to provide people with some room to breathe on the cost of living." When the measures were announced in April, the government estimated they would save British consumers 400 million pounds per year in total, or up to 170 pounds per person annually. British consumers are currently estimated to spend around 1.6 billion pounds a year on subscriptions they no longer want but cannot easily cancel.

Political response

The announcement drew criticism from the opposition. Shadow chancellor Mel Stride described the measures as "reheated" and claimed the prime minister "has already run out of ideas". Since taking office on July 20, Burnham has removed a tax on domestic electricity bills, capped bus fares, and lowered business rates for pubs, clubs, and live music venues as part of his ongoing "everyday fixes" agenda.