Appliances Direct has been fined £1.2 million by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for misleading customers with time-limited offers, it has been reported.
The electricals retailer was found to have used pop-up countdown banners on some product pages advertising discounts of £10 to £25 for a limited time. However, the CMA found that the same promotional codes appeared repeatedly over several days, potentially putting unfair pressure on customers to make a purchase.
The investigation also found that Appliances Direct customers were automatically opted into paid-for services without their express consent, including the removal and recycling of old appliances and installation of new appliances on delivery.
Under consumer protection law, businesses must obtain customers’ express agreement before charging them for optional extras. Pre-ticked boxes and other forms of automatic opt-in are not permitted.
Alongside the £1.2 million penalty, Appliances Direct has reportedly been ordered to refund around £432,000 to affected customers, with average pay-outs of approximately £25 per customer.
The refunds relate to purchases between 6 April 2025 and 17 November 2025. Appliances Direct will contact eligible customers directly, and they do not need to take any action to receive their refund.
Other businesses involved in the CMA’s wider enforcement action – including homewares giant, Wayfair – admitted breaching consumer law and agreed to settle their cases early, resulting in a 40% reduction in their fines.
The penalties were imposed under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, which strengthened the CMA’s powers to tackle unfair commercial practices and allows it to impose fines of up to 10% of a business’s global turnover.
Hayley Fletcher, Senior Director for Consumer Protection at the CMA, said: “Businesses must treat their customers fairly and make sure they comply with the law – or risk hefty fines.”
