Fake reviews, incentives and review gating: the UK rules for small businesses
Since 6 April 2025, fake reviews and reviews with hidden incentives have been banned outright in the UK under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. Google has its own, stricter rules. Here is what that means if you run a small business and want more reviews.
Updated 9 October 2026 · DeskKit Tools, Belfast
What the law says
The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (the DMCC Act) added a banned practice for consumer reviews. The Competition and Markets Authority's fake reviews guidance (CMA208) explains it. In short, it is automatically unfair and illegal to:
- submit or commission fake reviews, meaning reviews that don't reflect a genuine experience, including ones you write yourself or get friends, family or staff to post
- submit or commission concealed incentivised reviews, meaning reviews where the reviewer was given something (money, a discount, a freebie, a prize draw entry) and that isn't made clear
- publish reviews in a misleading way, for example cherry-picking only the positive ones while presenting them as representative, or showing a star rating that isn't based on all genuine reviews
Businesses that publish reviews, such as a website with a reviews section, must also take reasonable and proportionate steps to prevent and remove fake reviews and hidden incentives.
The CMA can now enforce consumer law directly and fine businesses up to 10% of their global turnover. Trading Standards can also take action.
Google's rules are stricter
UK law allows incentivised reviews if the incentive is clearly disclosed. Google doesn't allow them at all. Its policy on fake and misleading content says businesses must not:
- offer incentives such as payment, discounts or free goods in exchange for a review, or for changing or removing a negative one
- discourage or prohibit negative reviews, or selectively ask for positive reviews
- pressure customers to review while on the premises, or ask for specific content, including naming a staff member
- post content based on a conflict of interest, such as reviews from current or former staff or family
Google removes reviews that break these rules and can restrict a business profile that keeps breaking them.
What is review gating?
Review gating means filtering customers before they reach a public review site. A typical example is a message that asks "How did we do?" and only sends people who pick four or five stars to Google, while people who pick one to three stars go to a private complaint form.
Google bans this as selectively asking for positive reviews. The CMA's guidance for review sites also says you shouldn't only collect reviews from customers you know are satisfied, unless they are clearly labelled as testimonials, and shouldn't steer customers towards complaining privately instead of reviewing.
Offering a way to give feedback directly is fine, as long as every customer is invited to review in the same way, the public review link comes first, nobody is asked how satisfied they are before seeing it, and nobody is filtered by their answer.
Common practices, checked
| Practice | OK? |
|---|---|
| Asking every customer for an honest review, with a direct link | Yes |
| A QR code on the counter or receipt | Yes |
| "Review us for 10% off your next visit" | No (Google bans it; legally risky unless disclosed) |
| Prize draw for everyone who leaves a review | No on Google, as it is an incentive |
| Asking staff, family or friends to post reviews | No (fake or conflict of interest) |
| Only asking customers who seemed happy | No (selective soliciting) |
| Asking customers to mention a staff member by name | No on Google (specific content) |
| Offering a refund only if a review is removed | No |
| Showing hand-picked quotes on your website, labelled as testimonials | Generally fine if genuine and not presented as an overall rating |
| Buying reviews from a service | No, illegal |
How to get reviews the right way
- Ask every customer, the same way, soon after their visit.
- Send one short message with your direct Google review link.
- If you offer a way to tell you directly, make it an optional extra after the Google link: never instead, never first and never based on how they rated you.
- Reply to reviews, good and bad, politely.
- Keep a simple record of how you ask, so you can show it is fair if anyone asks.
Our guide on how to ask for Google reviews has templates for text, WhatsApp and email.
If a competitor is posting fake reviews
Report the reviews to Google through your Business Profile. You can also report suspected fake reviews to Trading Standards through the Consumerline service in Northern Ireland. Keep screenshots and dates.
Frequently asked questions
Are fake reviews illegal in the UK?
Yes. Since 6 April 2025 the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 bans submitting or commissioning fake reviews and reviews that hide an incentive, and bans publishing reviews in a misleading way.
Can I give customers a discount for leaving a review?
UK law allows incentivised reviews only if the incentive is clearly disclosed, but Google does not allow incentives at all. For Google reviews, don't offer anything in return.
Is a private feedback form review gating?
Not if every customer is invited to review in the same way, sees your public review link first and isn't asked about satisfaction beforehand. It becomes gating when a satisfaction question decides who is sent to the review site.
More guides
General information for small businesses, not legal or professional advice. Rules change, so check the official sources linked above before you rely on them.