London – The UK Competition and Markets Authority has just closed its consultation on new Conduct Requirements (CRs) that would constrain how the Apple and Google app stores protect consumers against fraudulent transactions and regulate their fees. That proposed fee regulation could represent utility-style price caps that may not remunerate ongoing investment in vital functions such as trust and safety (e.g., reviewing potentially malicious apps). New survey research by British Polling Council member Public First for CCIA shows that these risks undermine an app store experience that consumers value and expect, allowing them to transact safely.
Major takeaways from the nationally representative survey of 2,183 UK adults that was fielded between 21 July 2026 and 25 July 2026:
- About seven in ten consumers consider payment security and knowing apps have been checked for security risks very important, and about five in six consumers consider completing the purchase quickly and conveniently very or somewhat important.
- About two-thirds of consumers believe that more purchases being completed outside app stores will likely lead to serious negative outcomes, while less than half view positive outcomes as likely.
- Generally speaking, consumers prefer options that allow them to continue using app store payments.
- Overall, consumers are much more amenable to app stores taking an appropriate governance role, rather than developers constraining their experience.
The following can be attributed to CCIA Senior Director and head of CCIA’s London office, Matthew Sinclair:
“Consumers are very clear about what they want in app payments: the safety, security, and convenience that app stores currently provide. The CMA could break all that with overly restrictive regulation of how app store operators govern payments on their platform, or by setting regulated prices that do not support continued investment in important trust and safety functions, such as reviews to keep out malicious apps. The DMCC is supposed to work for consumers, not a minority of large app developers that want to free ride on the enormous value that app stores provide. Any regulatory intervention in a sector like this that already works should be cautious and designed with the interests of consumers coming first.”
