Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing measures to ensure that (a) the (i) location and (ii) identity of online sellers can be effectively verified and (b) information on where the item will be shipped from is displayed on the UK websites for global selling platforms.

The increase in e-commerce has provided greater choice and convenience, giving consumers access to global markets. However, this has brought significant regulatory challenges.

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 requires ‘material information’ to be included in any invitation to purchase. The Act prohibits unfair commercial practices, which includes misleading actions and omissions that are likely to impact the average consumer’s transactional decisions.

Government has committed to consult on introducing proportionate requirements to online actors using powers in the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025. This includes the aim for consumers purchasing online to have appropriate safety information.