Just Eat, Autotrader and Friends Caught in the CMA's Fake Reviews Dragnet

If you have ever agonised over whether that glowing five-star review for a dodgy takeaway was written by a real human or a marketing intern with a quota, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) feels your pain. The watchdog has opened formal investigations into five firms it suspects of playing fast and loose with online reviews, and the names on the list make for interesting reading.

Who Is in the Spotlight?

Just Eat, Autotrader, Dignity, Feefo and Pasta Evangelists are the companies now sweating under the CMA's gaze. Each faces distinct allegations, and none of them are particularly flattering.

• Just Eat is being probed over whether its rating system artificially inflated star ratings for certain restaurants and grocery partners. If true, that "4.8-star" kebab shop might owe its reputation to maths rather than marinade.
• Autotrader and Feefo stand accused of filtering out negative reviews, effectively denying consumers a fully rounded picture. Think of it as showing someone only the highlight reel of a used car's life.
• Dignity, the funeral services provider, is under investigation for allegedly asking its own staff to write positive reviews about its cremation services. That is a level of corporate enthusiasm most of us could do without.
• Pasta Evangelists reportedly offered discounts in exchange for five-star reviews without disclosing the arrangement. Free pappardelle for praise, no questions asked.

Why This Matters Now

These five cases are part of a broader sweep. The CMA has confirmed that 14 businesses in total are currently under review using powers granted by the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Act 2024, which came into force in April 2025. The Act specifically banned fake reviews, undisclosed incentivised reviews, and the suppression of negative feedback.

Crucially, the CMA no longer needs to drag companies through the courts. It can now impose fines of up to 10% of a firm's global turnover directly. For large businesses, that is not a slap on the wrist; it is a wallop.

CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell has made clear the watchdog intends to use these powers. An update on these specific investigations is expected in September 2026.

The Scale of the Problem

Research by TruthEngine, based on a five-year study, suggests that roughly 50% of online reviews are fake. Let that sink in. Half. According to the CMA's own figures, 89% of UK adults use online reviews when researching products or services, meaning millions of purchasing decisions are being shaped by fabricated feedback.

It is not just consumers who suffer. In 2024, a small chain of independent restaurants in the UK was blackmailed by criminals who threatened to flood its listings with fake one-star reviews unless paid thousands of pounds. The review ecosystem has become a battleground, and honest businesses are often the collateral damage.

Google, Amazon and Earlier Action

The CMA has already secured commitments from the tech giants. Google signed undertakings in January 2025 to overhaul how it handles fake reviews on its platform. Amazon followed with its own undertakings in June 2025. Both agreements were designed to tighten processes and crack down on fraudulent feedback before it reaches consumers.

What Happens Next?

Consumer groups have welcomed the investigations. Sue Davies, head of consumer rights and food policy at Which?, has long argued that the review landscape needs a serious clean-up. Former CMA legal director Tom Smith, now a partner at Geradin Partners, has noted the significance of the watchdog flexing its new enforcement muscles so publicly.

For consumers, the message is straightforward: scepticism remains your best friend when scrolling through suspiciously perfect ratings. And for businesses tempted to game the system, the CMA has made one thing abundantly clear. The era of consequence-free review manipulation is over.

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