Responding to the government's announcement in the ‘everyday fixes’ package that the timeline for implementation of the subscriptions regime will be suddenly shortened, a coalition of businesses and trade organisations who hold an interest offering subscriptions to consumers said: "We are deeply disappointed that, despite repeated assurances about a proper implementation period, Ministers have decided to rush forward with the new subscriptions regime, leaving businesses with little or no time to prepare.
"These were public commitments, and responsible businesses - who were never the intended targets of the new regime - planned around them in good faith.
"Ultimately it is consumers who will be short-changed, as the businesses providing services enjoyed and relied upon by millions are left scrambling to adapt to an entirely arbitrary new deadline - diverting valuable resources that would otherwise go into building better products.
"An adjustment period in which the Competition and Markets Authority supports businesses with compliance efforts rather than focusing on enforcement, as there has been for similar changes to consumer law, is now an absolute necessity."
- News Media Association
- techUK
- Online Dating and Discovery Association
- Professional Publishers Association
News Media Association Chief Executive Theo Bamber added: "Growth and effective consumer protection both depend on government working closely with the businesses affected by complex new regulations such as the incoming subscriptions regime.
"Yet government has rushed out an announcement about a drastically reduced timeline for implementation despite repeated assurances - including a Ministerial statement to Parliament - that publishers would be given sufficient time to prepare.
"Subscriptions are central to the business models of news media publishers, and a key growth area for the local publishers whose journalism and scrutiny of power at a local level will be crucial to the success of devolution.
“We call on the Competition and Markets Authority and government to ensure that there is an adjustment period where the regulator will support businesses with compliance efforts, as there has been for similar consumer law changes under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act.”
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