The DMCC act was introduced in April 2025. It brought in new legal obligations to prevent, detect and remove misleading customer reviews.
Learn more about the act on the government website
What the DMCC Act means for dealers
The DMCC Act bans:
- Fake reviews
- Hidden incentivised reviews
- Misleading presentation of reviews
Dealerships, review providers (including Feefo) and publishers (such as Autotrader) are all responsible for making sure they follow the legislation.
By complying you’re protecting your business from potential regulatory action.
Examples of the banned practices include, but are not limited to:
- Obtaining fake reviews from people who haven't purchased vehicles from your dealership
- Using hidden incentives (without clear disclosure) to get reviews
- Example: Reviewers receive payments, discounts or other benefits in return for a review
- Only asking for reviews from customers who you know have had a positive experience
- Misleading presentation of reviews, such as suppressing negative feedback or manipulating review displays so that only positive reviews are prominent
- Contacting customers to change a negative review
What the DMCC Act means for Autotrader
As the publisher of reviews, Autotrader now has an obligation to take reasonable and proportionate steps to prevent and remove fake or misleading reviews being published to our platform.
Any customers found breaching these rules risk being removed from the Autotrader platform, either temporarily or permanently.
Find out more about our Dealer Reviews Business Rules
What should I do next as a dealership?
Work with an established review provider (such as Feefo) to ensure you are complying with the DMCC regulations.
These platforms typically handle:
- Customer verification processes
- Review authenticity checks
- Proper disclosure labelling
- Ongoing monitoring and moderation
- Technical compliance with DMCC requirements
You should review or change your current review practices to make sure they are compliant with the new legislation.
These may include:
- Ensuring reviewers are genuine customers who have purchased vehicles
- Maintaining records of all review-related activities
- Taking reasonable and proportionate steps to prevent, detect, and remove fake and misleading reviews
- Clear labelling of review sources and any incentives provided
- Ensuring your team understands what constitutes compliance vs. violations
- Reviewing your processes to ensure ongoing compliance
For specific advice about DMCC compliance for your dealership, please contact Feefo or your chosen review provider.
FAQs
Will I be forced to use one specific review provider?
No. The DMCC Act doesn't mandate specific platforms. You can:
- Choose from multiple established review providers, but you are responsible for ensuring the review provider is meeting its obligations under the DMCC
- Use multiple platforms simultaneously
- Develop your own compliant internal system
- Mix approaches (e.g. use a platform for online reviews while managing customer testimonials internally)
The key is ensuring whichever approach you choose meets the DMCC Act’s requirements.
What if I get negative reviews?
The DMCC Act protects the value of your positive reviews by ensuring they're genuine. Reviews must reflect authentic customer experiences, which means:
- Your positive reviews carry more weight with consumers
- Negative reviews provide valuable feedback for improvement
- Genuine mixed reviews are more trusted than suspiciously perfect ratings
What are the penalties for non-compliance?
Non-compliance can potentially result in fines up to 10% of global annual turnover or £300,000, with individuals facing fines up to £150,000. However, the focus is on encouraging compliance rather than punishment.
The CMA typically works with businesses to achieve compliance before taking enforcement action.
The DMCC Act isn't a burden, it's an opportunity for retailers to stand out in an increasingly competitive market and ensure they are adhering to best practice.