LONDON — Amazon has pledged to tighten its grip on fake reviews after an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) revealed the online giant was not doing enough to protect consumers from misleading and deceptive review activity on its platform.
Following concerns raised by the watchdog, Amazon has promised to introduce more robust detection systems, sanctions against offenders, and greater transparency across its UK site. These new commitments are aimed at bolstering trust and improving the reliability of product reviews, which play a key role in helping consumers make informed purchases.
The CMA’s probe centred on whether Amazon was breaching UK consumer law by failing to tackle fake reviews and suspicious behaviour on its marketplace — such as sellers manipulating listings or reviewers leaving dishonest feedback.
One particular issue involved “catalogue abuse”, where rogue sellers attach their products to the listings of unrelated, well-reviewed items in order to artificially boost star ratings. For instance, a user searching for highly-rated headphones might unknowingly be reading reviews for a completely different item, giving a false impression of quality.
Amazon has now committed to stopping this practice by sanctioning any seller found to be gaming the system, with potential penalties including suspension and outright bans. Reviewers themselves are also in the CMA’s crosshairs. Those found posting fake or incentivised reviews could face bans on posting reviews entirely.
The tech giant has also promised to implement clear and accessible systems that allow both customers and legitimate businesses to quickly report instances of fake reviews or catalogue manipulation. These changes are intended to improve transparency and allow the platform to act faster on any suspicious activity.
The CMA has welcomed Amazon’s undertakings, which mark a significant step forward in improving the integrity of online reviews. Chief Executive Sarah Cardell said:
“So many people use Amazon, from buying a new bike lock to finding the best coffee machine – and what’s clear is that star ratings and reviews have a huge impact on their choices.
That’s why these new commitments matter and help set the standard. They mean people can make decisions with greater confidence – knowing that those who seek to pull the wool over their eyes will be swiftly dealt with.”
The regulator estimates that over 90% of UK consumers use online reviews as part of their buying decisions, with up to £23 billion of spending each year potentially influenced by them. The scale of the issue prompted the CMA to act, especially in light of new powers granted under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA), which now explicitly outlaws fake reviews.
Amazon is not the only tech firm facing pressure. In January, Google also updated its policies on fake reviews, promising to penalise repeat offenders and ensure tighter enforcement. The CMA has indicated that scrutiny of review platforms, businesses, and individuals will continue in the coming months to ensure full compliance with the law.
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An Amazon spokesperson defended the company’s efforts to date but acknowledged there is more to be done:
“We invest significant resources to pro-actively stop fake reviews ever appearing on our store, including expert human investigators and advanced machine learning models that analyse thousands of data points to detect risk.
Last year alone, we pro-actively blocked more than 275 million fake reviews, and over 99% of all products in our store contain only authentic reviews.
We also suspend, ban, and pursue legal action against those who violate our policies and have teams dedicated to combating bad actors.”
While these changes are UK-specific, they may influence wider policy across Amazon’s global marketplaces, as regulators worldwide continue to grapple with the challenge of restoring trust in digital commerce.
With the CMA’s oversight ongoing, businesses and consumers alike will be watching closely to see whether Amazon can uphold its promises — and whether the integrity of the star rating system, so central to modern shopping, can be meaningfully restored.
