Council of Ministers Takes Bold Step to Safeguard Consumer Rights

On Friday, 7th February, the Council of Ministers announced a significant advancement in consumer protection by approving the Consumer Protection (Fixed Penalty Notice) (Amendment) Regulations 2025. Set to come into effect on 31st March 2025, this new legislation aims to intensify the fight against unfair trading practices and enhance the safeguarding of consumer rights.

The revised regulations introduce a series of progressive measures designed to hold offenders accountable. Key changes include:

• A tiered fine structure, with penalties scaled according to the number of products involved in the infringement;
• Strengthened enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance;
• Higher penalty thresholds to deter wrongdoers;
• A correction to the frequency of penalty multipliers, making repercussions more consistent;
• A more refined categorisation of offences, allowing for stricter scrutiny of warehouse practices and boosting accountability.

This critical overhaul of the penalty framework is a determined effort to create a fairer marketplace, ensuring that consumers can shop with confidence, knowing their rights are fiercely protected.

Source: Defi Media