Words: Stephen Sidkin

November saw the first flexing by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) of its newly acquired muscles under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA). This flexing is real and now in its implications for KBB businesses.

Among the first companies formally under consideration is Wayfair. The CMA is examining whether Wayfair’s “time-limited” sales ended when promised – raising a red flag for any business in KBB promoting flash discounts or countdown-style offers.

The legal test the CMA will apply is now sharper: any price shown to the consumer must reflect what they would actually pay unless they knowingly choose optional extras. Fees that are unavoidable must be disclosed upfront; optional extras must require active opt-in; and any urgency messages – countdown timers, “sale ending soon”, “last chance” – must be real and not marketing artifice.

A new age

For many KBB firms, this is a fundamental change. A typical kitchen sale rarely ends at the cost of the units alone. More often it is a package of units, appliances, delivery, carpentry, plumbing or electrics, old-kitchen removal, installation and finishing touches.

If your advertised price only covers the bare units (but in most real-world cases customers end up paying thousands more once installation is included) the original price risks being misleading, especially if those extras are effectively mandatory for a functional fitted kitchen. Under the new regime, those extra costs must either be included in the headline “from” price, or customers must be clearly told up front how additional costs will be determined.

Even when extras are truly optional – say, a premium installation service, smart-home appliance commissioning or extended warranties – they cannot be pre-ticked or automatically included by default. A customer must choose them actively. For KBB firms using online quote systems, web tools or in-showroom tablet-based quoting, this demands a review of every sales flow, from first online browse to final deposit or contract agreement.

Similarly, if your marketing leans on urgency – a “sale ends midnight”, “only this month” or “limited delivery slots for December” – this must reflect genuine constraints. Because KBB buying decisions tend to take time – with customers thinking through designs, budgets, and installation windows – repeating the same “offer ends soon” message when nothing has changed is a risky strategy under the DMCCA.

Then there are reviews, testimonials and galleries, all of which are staple marketing features for KBB retailers. The new regime does not ignore them. If you display reviews, ratings, or show images of completed kitchens or bathrooms “approved by clients”, you must be ready to demonstrate that reviews are genuine, not incentivised, not fabricated.

If endorsements come via influencers, partners or affiliates – for example, a designer or a homeowner paid or incentivised to provide a testimonial – that commercial link must be disclosed. Even if your reviews feel innocuous or are part of traditional marketing, the CMA’s guidance around unfair commercial practices now treats them seriously.

Big changes

So, what does all this mean for a KBB business that wants both to comply and to thrive?

First, treat transparency not as a regulatory burden but as part of your brand proposition. A fully inclusive “fitted kitchen price” – with installation, standard delivery, waste removal and a realistic site-survey-based estimate of variable extras – may appear higher initially than a “units only” price. But it also signals honesty and builds trust. In a market where order values are high and customers often take weeks or months to decide, that trust can pay off in referrals, fewer misunderstandings, smoother installations and long-term reputation.

Second, use “offers” and “sale events” only when they truly reflect constraints – limited stock, a real deadline, actual finite delivery or installation slots. Don’t treat urgency as a marketing gimmick; treat it as a commitment. If you push an offer out under the guise of scarcity or time sensitivity, be prepared to demonstrate that scarcity was real.

Third, review how you present add-ons. Whether you offer an extended warranty, appliance commissioning, disposal of old units, or upgraded finishes — none of those should be pre-selected. Every optional extra must require an active choice by the buyer. Review your quoting tools, your checkout pages, your order confirmation emails and your install booking process for hidden defaults.

Fourth – audit your review and testimonial process. If you collect customer feedback, decide whether to publish it, or commission home-improvement influencers, make sure you have records: who wrote what, whether they received anything for it, and whether the endorsement is clearly presented as such. If a review comes from a scheme, must be disclosed.

Finally, document everything. The CMA’s first cases are using its new direct enforcement powers under the DMCCA, meaning it can impose fines of up to 10% of global turnover and order consumer redress. When enforcement begins, good record-keeping – audit trails, quoting history, communications – may be as important as compliance itself.

For KBB retailers, showroom operators and installers, the path forward is clear. Revisit your initial price displays, your promotional offers, your add-on practices and your reviews. Make them explicit, honest and easy for customers to understand. That may well require changing how you quote, how you display offers, how you package installs and how you communicate with prospective clients. But it also offers a commercial advantage: in a sector where value, reliability and craftsmanship matter, transparent pricing and ethical marketing can become part of your brand’s strength.