The Consumer Choice campaign is calling on the European Commission to ensure that when it amends its Vertical Restraints Regulation and Guidelines consumers and small businesses aren’t the victim of unfair trade practices that ignore the power of the internet to increase the level of choice and value available.

We’ve written about some of the ways in which brands are unfairly pressuring online sellers in other EU countries to fix their prices to keep brands’ profits up and consumer savings down. But what about the UK?

The summer edition of eBay’s Online Business Index included the findings of an investigation, How Suppliers Are Blocking Online Trade, which examined the experiences of small businesses that sell online and the barriers they face to trade fairly.

The investigation revealed that half of the online retailers interviewed said they had faced pressure from suppliers to restrict trade.

It also gave a shocking insight into the range of tactics used by suppliers to force online retailers to keep prices high.

These tactics include:

We believe that these attempts by brands and suppliers to restrict online retail are short-sighted given the growing power of the internet but it’s undeniable that small businesses are on the receiving end of aggressive and bullying tactics. What’s worse is that many small sellers have no choice but to comply, for fear their supplies will be cut off.

It’s a worrying situation for online businesses and consumers alike and one our Campaign for Consumer Choice has set out to address.

You can help end these unfair and uncompetitive practices by signing our petition