Disruption, Innovation and Re-alignment in UK Consumer Law and Policy

This book sets out the future directions for UK consumer law and policy. After decades of EU-driven development, the continuous improvement of UK consumer law and policy has stalled since Brexit. Yet, there are major challenges, including the progressive digitalisation of the consumer environment, the need to reconcile sustainability with consumption, and the need for better crisis resilience, alongside more specific concerns such as better enforcement or subscription contracts. The disruption caused by Brexit demands a comprehensive solution to ensure that UK consumer law and policy remains current and robust rather than becoming moribund. It also presents an opportunity for realigning UK consumer law and policy towards a consumer-centric focus and to develop innovative solutions to contemporary consumer challenges. With original contributions from leading consumer law scholars, the book shows how the UK could develop in response to both major and specific challenges. Topics include a historical perspective on consumer law, consumer law reform, the implications of Brexit, vulnerability, changing paradigms, challenges in the context of financial services and digital consumer law, and enforcement.

Table of Contents:
Preface Part I: Past Directions of Consumer Law 1. A Social History of Consumer Law, 1960-1980, Victoria Barnes (Queen's University Belfast, Ireland) and Sally Wheeler (Birkbeck University, UK) 2. Consumer Insurance Law Reform -Obstacles, Allies and Tactics, Tammy Goriely (formerly Law Commission) and Peter Tyldesley (University of Reading, UK) Part II: Future Directions for Consumer Law in General 3. The Acts and Scenes of the Brexit Consumer Law and Policy Melodrama… , Geraint Howells (University of Galway, Ireland), Chris Willett (University of Essex, UK) and James Devenney (University of Reading, UK) 4. Reforming Consumer Law in the Digital Market Post-Brexit: An EU-UK-Irish Divide?, Paula Giliker (University of Bristol, UK) 5. Consumer Resilience and Vulnerable Energy Systems, Timothy Dodsworth (University of Reading, UK) and Séverine Saintier (Exeter University, UK) Part III: Future Directions in Consumer Financial Services 6. The New Consumer Duty in the Provision of Financial Services: A Re-alignment of the FCA's Approach to its Objectives and Protection of the Consumer?, Sarah Brown (University of Reading, UK) 7. Investment-Based Crowdfunding and Financial Consumers Protection: Realignment of FCA Financial Promotion Disclosure Rules, Wangwei Lin (Queen Mary University of London, UK) Part IV: Future Directions in Digital Consumer Law 8. The Quest for Protection of Vulnerable Consumers in Digital Financial Technologies, Andrea Miglionico (University of Reading, UK) 9. Cryptocurrencies and Consumer Protection: Caveat Emptor, Henry Hillman and Thomas Burgess (Cardiff University, UK) 10. Digital Assistants and Consumer Law – Disruption or Innovation?, Christian Twigg-Flesner (University of Warwick, UK) Part V: Future Directions in other Areas of Consumer Law 11. The (Servitised) Circular Economy: Are Consumers Truly Empowered?, Monica Vessio (University of Reading, UK) and Séverine Saintier (University of Cardiff, UK) 12. The 'Missing Link': Direct Enforcement, Monetary Penalties and Consumer Protection in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, Peter Cartwright (University of Nottingham, UK) 13. The Potential for the Expansion of the UK Collective Actions Regime at the Competition Appeal Tribunal to Consumer Claims, Ariel Flavian (Haifa University, Israel) 14. Re-aligning Consumer Law with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: A Human Rights- Based Approach to Consumer Contracting, Benjamin Clubbs Coldron (University of Northumbria, UK)

About the Author :
Christian Twigg-Flesner is Professor of Contract and Consumer Law at the University of Warwick, UK. James Devenney is Head of School and Professor of Transnational Commercial Law at the University of Reading, UK.