Consumer Rights 26 March 2026 - 8 May 2026

Coles Group Faces Costly Fallout After Court Says ‘Down Down’ Discounts Misled Shoppers
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Coles Group Faces Costly Fallout After Court Says ‘Down Down’ Discounts Misled Shoppers

Coles Group Ltd is under increased legal and investor pressure after the Federal Court in Australia ruled that the company’s well-known “Down Down” discounts misled shoppers. The decision weighed on Coles shares and brought extra scrutiny to competitor Woolworths. The timing of the ruling hits as Australia grapples with cost-of-living pressures. According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the case involves 245 everyday items Coles sold from February 2022 through May 2023. The Federal Court said Coles’ “Down Down” promotions were misleading on 13 out of 14 sample tickets reviewed at the liability hearing, the ACCC reported.
May 15, 2026
Lidl Loyalty Scheme Backlash: Shoppers Say New Points Don’t Add Up
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Lidl Loyalty Scheme Backlash: Shoppers Say New Points Don’t Add Up

Lidl GB has come under fire from shoppers after ditching its Coupon Plus loyalty program and rolling out Lidl Plus Points. Under the new setup, which went live this week, customers pick up one point for each £1 spent and can redeem those points for discounts or certain products. Instead of hitting monthly spending targets to unlock rewards, users now collect points directly through the Lidl Plus app. Supermarket loyalty schemes are now one of the fiercest weapons in the UK’s grocery price battle. Over the 12 weeks ending April 19, Lidl notched up an 8.8% sales jump, pushing its market share to a record 8.4%—right up alongside Morrisons, Worldpanel by Numerator figures show, as reported by Retail Gazette.
May 8, 2026
Comcast Opens Xfinity Data Breach Settlement Claims in $117.5 Million Deal: Who Qualifies Before Aug. 14
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Comcast Opens Xfinity Data Breach Settlement Claims in $117.5 Million Deal: Who Qualifies Before Aug. 14

Comcast users hit by the 2023 Xfinity data breach have until Aug. 14 to submit claims for cash or services from a $117.5 million settlement. The final green light on the deal is scheduled for July 7 in federal court in Philadelphia. About 31.6 million people who received breach notifications make up the class. Anyone who can document out-of-pocket expenses and lost time is eligible to claim up to $10,000 per individual; lost time is compensated at $30 per hour, up to a five-hour limit. Others in the class can file for a cash payment, estimated around $50. On top of that, all class members qualify for three years of identity-defense protection, which comes with credit monitoring, dark web surveillance,
April 14, 2026
Lloyds Banking Group Faces Fresh Provision Test After FCA Finalises UK Motor Finance Redress
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Lloyds Banking Group Faces Fresh Provision Test After FCA Finalises UK Motor Finance Redress

Lloyds Banking Group on Tuesday said it’s reviewing the Financial Conduct Authority’s finalized motor finance redress scheme—a compensation plan for borrowers who faced unfair treatment. According to the bank, the final version isn’t the same as last October’s draft and “require careful analysis.” The numbers here are big. The FCA says its plan will affect 12.1 million vehicle finance deals made from 2007 to 2024, aiming to get 7.5 billion pounds back to customers. Add in 1.6 billion pounds in operating costs, and companies are looking at a total bill of roughly 9.1 billion pounds.
April 1, 2026
Australia to Ban Debit and Credit Card Surcharges From October as RBA Cuts Fees
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Australia to Ban Debit and Credit Card Surcharges From October as RBA Cuts Fees

Starting Oct. 1, Australia will prohibit surcharges on debit and credit card payments handled through eftpos, Visa, and Mastercard, following a Reserve Bank of Australia ruling that labeled the current fee system as too murky and ineffective. According to the RBA, Australians fork out roughly A$1.6 billion in these charges every year; with the new rules, businesses are set to pocket about A$910 million in annual savings from the larger fee shakeup. Cost-of-living strains are front and center for both households and lawmakers right now, and cards make up roughly 75% of payments in Australia. About 16% of businesses continue to tack on surcharges, prompting the RBA and government to press for prices that include all charges upfront—no last-minute add-ons
March 31, 2026
Millions Await UK Car Finance Compensation Rules as FCA Weighs £11 Billion Redress
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Millions Await UK Car Finance Compensation Rules as FCA Weighs £11 Billion Redress

The Financial Conduct Authority is expected to outline compensation plans for millions of UK motorists who were mis-sold car loans, releasing details after markets shut on Monday. Lenders and auto finance divisions are preparing for what may become one of Britain’s priciest consumer payout efforts. The regulator confirmed it would announce its strategy shortly following the London close on March 30. The numbers are hefty. According to the FCA, its proposed plan may impact some 14 million agreements written from April 6, 2007 up to Nov. 1, 2024, with average payouts landing around 700 pounds per case. Earlier, the regulator put the potential compensation bill at 8.2 billion pounds, while factoring in implementation could push the overall hit to firms
March 30, 2026
UK FCA Car Finance Compensation Plan Due March 30 as Banks Ready Legal Challenges
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UK FCA Car Finance Compensation Plan Due March 30 as Banks Ready Legal Challenges

On Monday, Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority is expected to outline its stance on motor finance redress, spotlighting an 11 billion-pound compensation plan that’s fueling clashes between banks and claims firms. The move will determine how millions of drivers get reimbursed for undisclosed or unclear commissions on car loans—and if payouts might kick off in 2026. Timing is key here, with the regulator keen to wrap up one of Britain’s priciest mis-selling sagas—but without triggering a flood of complaints, ombudsman appeals, or litigation. Earlier this month, the FCA floated a three-month window to implement the plan, bumping it to five months for older deals. The goal: get millions paid back in 2026. Back in October, when the consultation kicked off, chief
March 26, 2026