Marks Electrical has been ordered to refund nearly 40,000 customers and pay a £720,000 fine after the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found the company had automatically enrolled consumers in additional services without their explicit consent. The retailer charged customers for either its “Recycle Old Appliance” or “Unwrap & Recycle Packaging” services, or both, through pre-selected options rather than obtaining clear agreement.

Under rules implemented in April 2025, businesses are required to offer customers a genuine choice when purchasing optional extras, and are prohibited from using pre-ticked boxes or other forms of automatic opt-in for services that incur additional costs. The CMA’s investigation determined that Marks Electrical violated these regulations by signing up customers without their express approval.

As a result, the retailer will refund approximately £600,000 to affected consumers, averaging about £15 per customer. The CMA also imposed a £720,000 penalty on Marks Electrical for breaching consumer protection laws. The watchdog’s actions aim to reinforce the importance of transparent pricing and consent in consumer transactions, ensuring companies cannot impose unwanted charges through automatic enrollment.