UK PM Burnham cracks down on subscription traps

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has vowed to crack down on hard-to-cancel subscriptions and fake discounts as part of measures to tackle the cost-of-living crisis. United Kingdom — Downing Street said on Sunday that new rules will come into force in January next year, forcing businesses to give customers clearer up-front information, regular reminders and a much easier exit from contracts. A new 14-day cooling-off period will let consumers cancel after a trial or a long-term contract renews. Burnham also promised to tackle misleading claims about discounts based on inflated full-price figures. The announcement came as Burnham prepared to begin a cost-of-living tour across the United Kingdom, including United Kingdom — Port Talbot in Wales. The government estimates British consumers spend about £1.6 billion ($2.2 billion) a year on subscriptions they do not actually want. Opposition politicians have criticised the measures as not going far enough.