Government guidance for small businesses on fake reviews

The CMA has completed a major review of business websites to assess compliance with new guidance on fake and incentivised reviews. High street and independent retailers are being urged to review their policies to avoid enforcement action.

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The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has completed a website sweep of over 100 businesses following the release of new Fake Reviews Guidance in April 2025. Over half of those reviewed may not be complying with the law, prompting the CMA to contact 54 firms directly.

What businesses need to do about reviews

Independent and high street retailers who publish customer reviews should ensure they:

Publish a clear policy banning fake reviews

Set out their approach to incentivised reviews, making clear these must be genuine and clearly labelled

Make the policy accessible and easy to understand on their websites
Many businesses failed due to missing or vague policies, or unclear treatment of incentivised reviews. The CMA is now urging all retailers to review their practices and ensure compliance.

Next steps for retailers

• Review your website for any mention of reviews or testimonials
• Create or update a clear, visible policy on fake and incentivised reviews
• Ensure staff understand the policy and apply it consistently

The guidance is not statutory, but helps businesses comply with existing consumer law. The CMA has also highlighted the importance of adhering to undertakings made by platforms such as Google and Amazon.

CMA Support

A CMA webinar on Thursday 4 September 2025 will provide further advice on complying with the new rules. This is open to all businesses publishing customer reviews. See the full Government press release below to find out more about the webinar.

There is also a link to the full guidance report on fake reviews.