European Consumer Protection

Covington’s European Consumer Protection practice advises clients on the elaborate and evolving EU and UK regulatory frameworks that govern how businesses advertise, sell, contract, handle disputes, and provide redress to consumers. We advise consumer-facing companies in a broad range of industries, including airlines, automotive and component parts, consumer electronics, entertainment and media, financial services, online and video games, retail, smart home devices, sports, and telecoms (including satellite). Our expertise spans both traditional sectors and innovative digital markets, enabling us to address the unique regulatory challenges each industry faces.

We advise on the design and implementation of internal processes and procedures for compliance with EU and UK consumer protection requirements. This includes drafting and reviewing consumer-facing terms and conditions, legal notices and user interface disclosures taking a risk-based approach to ensure alignment, to the extent possible, with global practices. Our practice ensures that products and services meet fairness and safety standards mandated by law, and that businesses are equipped to respond efficiently to consumer requests and complaints. Additionally, we provide strategic advice and representation in regulatory enforcement matters, including investigations before the European Commission (including through the EU’s Consumer Protection Cooperation Network), European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA), and various national consumer protection authorities across the EU, as well as the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). We also counsel clients on private enforcement actions through litigation, including claims under the EU and UK product liability framework, with an increasing focus on class actions enabled by new laws that make it easier for groups of claimants to seek collective redress..

We regularly work with colleagues in our U.S.-based Advertising and Consumer Protection Investigations practice on cross-border consumer protection matters to maximize alignment in a client’s compliance practices and to coordinate large multi-jurisdictional regulatory investigations. Our advice is also deeply collaborative, drawing on experts across disciplines, including product safety, commercial contracts, food and drug law, financial services, branding, environmental law, entertainment and media, trademark and intellectual property, and privacy and data security. As needed, we also coordinate with our Public Policy team for their expertise with legislators and regulators, as well as our Disputes team with significant experience in national and EU courts.

We stay ahead of new technologies and their regulatory impact, advising on AI, digital subscriptions, and connected devices. Our multilingual and multicultural team serves clients across jurisdictions, managing Europe-wide compliance and navigating national variations. We also actively engage with EU and UK institutions to help shape consumer protection policies.