UK Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002

• June 8, 2000 – E-Commerce Directive 2000/31/EC adopted at EU level.
• August 21, 2002 – The UK Regulations came into force.
• January 31, 2020 – UK left the EU; Regulations retained under UK law.
• Ongoing – Enforced by Trading Standards and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

• Any business offering "information society services" (i.e., online services).
• E-commerce websites, SaaS platforms, and digital service providers.
• UK-based businesses and non-UK businesses targeting UK consumers.

• Purely offline businesses.
• Internal business systems not offered to the public.
• Some government or public sector portals may be subject to different transparency rules.

• Provide users with key business details before, during, or immediately after a transaction.
• Communicate clearly about prices, contracts, and payment terms.
• Acknowledge orders promptly via electronic means.

Regulation 6 requires the following to be displayed clearly, directly, and permanently:

• Business or individual name.
• Geographic address (not a PO box).
• Email address and other direct contact information.
• Company registration number (if incorporated).
• VAT number (if applicable).
• Membership of any relevant trade or professional bodies.
• Details of any authorisation scheme or supervisory authority.
• Pricing, including whether it’s inclusive of tax and delivery.

• Commercial emails must be clearly identifiable as such.
• Terms and conditions must be accessible before placing an order.
• Businesses must provide a way to correct input errors before confirming a transaction.

• Right to receive clear information about who operates the website.
• Right to transparent pricing and clear contract terms.
• Right to contact the business easily via email or geographic address.

• Oversight by: Trading Standards and the Competition & Markets Authority.
• Failure to comply may result in enforcement actions, including injunctions.
• Breaches may also violate other consumer protection laws like the Consumer Rights Act 2015.