Wayfair, Appliances Direct and Gold's Gym fined £6 million
The 3 businesses were fined a total of £6 million for fake time-limited offers, adding paid extras without asking and leaving a joining fee out of the price. Some customers will get refunds.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has fined 3 businesses more than £6 million in total for misleading sales tactics, it announced on 14 October 2026. Wayfair was fined £4.8 million, Appliances Direct £1.2 million and Gold's Gym £45,000. Appliances Direct and Gold's Gym will refund around £440,000 to customers.
Wayfair advertised products as "Daily Deals" and 24-hour "Flash Deals" with countdown timers. Many products stayed at the same price or lower after the deadline, so the offers were not genuinely time-limited, the CMA found.
Appliances Direct automatically added paid extras to customers' orders: taking away and recycling their old appliance, installing the new one, or both. Its pop-up countdown banners offered £10 to £25 off for a limited time, but the CMA found the same discount codes kept appearing for days.
Gold's Gym is a franchise that runs 4 gyms in London. The CMA found it left its joining fee out of the total price it showed for annual and Direct Debit memberships, or showed the total in a way that was unclear and unlikely to be seen.
Hayley Fletcher, Senior Director for Consumer Protection at the CMA, said:
Whether buying a new sofa, a washing machine, or joining a gym, people should see genuine, accurate prices and offers - and decide for themselves whether they want optional extras. At a time when many households are carefully managing their budgets, people shouldn't lose out because of misleading sales tactics. The time is up for this kind of behaviour.
What it means for consumers
Appliances Direct must pay around £432,000 back to customers who were charged for extras they had not chosen. The CMA says the average refund is £25. Gold's Gym must refund £9,220 to 726 customers, either £50 or £10 each depending on the membership they bought.
Appliances Direct and Gold's Gym will contact affected customers by letter or email. Customers do not need to do anything. Refunds will be paid the same way people paid, or another way, such as by cheque.
The CMA says falsely claiming an offer is only available for a limited time is always unfair and illegal under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. Businesses must show the total price, including compulsory fees, clearly and from the outset. They must also get a customer's express agreement before charging for an extra, and a pre-ticked box does not count.
Our guides explain how to get money back after a fake deal or countdown, deal with fees that only appear at the checkout and get a refund for an extra added without asking.
Which? found similar sale and low-stock claims on 21 of the 50 big retailers' websites it checked, which we reported on 13 October 2026.
What happens next
The CMA has also opened investigations in ticketing, gyms, homeware, online reviews and air travel, including into the fee Ryanair charges parents to sit with their children. It can fine a business up to 10% of its global turnover, or £300,000 if that is higher, for breaking consumer protection law.