Amazon has vowed to enhance its efforts in combating fake reviews and take stern action against sellers employing such tactics to artificially inflate product ratings. This commitment comes on the heels of an investigation by the UK’s competition watchdog.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has prioritized the elimination of fake reviews due to their significant impact on consumer decision-making. Approximately 90% of UK consumers rely on reviews, influencing an estimated £23 billion in annual spending. Since April, fake reviews have been explicitly prohibited by law.
CMA’s chief executive, Sarah Cardell, stated that the undertakings from Amazon would enable shoppers to make more informed decisions. She emphasized that star ratings and reviews heavily influence consumers’ choices on Amazon.
Amazon has pledged to strengthen its systems for detecting fake reviews and to address “catalogue abuse.” This refers to the practice of sellers transferring positive reviews from successful products to entirely different ones, falsely boosting their star ratings.
Businesses found guilty of catalogue abuse or using fake reviews to manipulate product ratings may face sanctions, including potential bans from selling on Amazon’s platform. Users who post fake reviews, both positive and negative, risk being banned and having their previous reviews erased. Additionally, Amazon will make it easier for customers to report suspicious posts.
These promises were made following the CMA’s investigation into Amazon and Google in 2021 over concerns regarding the removal of fake reviews and the lack of sanctions against offenders. The CMA is now examining whether specialized review platforms, businesses listing products on them, and reviewers are in compliance with the stricter new laws.
Under the Digital Markets, Competition, and Consumers Act 2024, the CMA now has the authority to determine independently whether consumer laws have been violated and take direct action, including imposing fines, requiring businesses to improve their practices, and compensating affected consumers.
Amazon asserts that it already allocates significant resources to preventing fake reviews, utilizing expert human investigators and machine learning models capable of analyzing thousands of data points. In 2024, the company blocked 275 million fake reviews, claiming that “more than 99% of all products in our store contain only authentic reviews.” Amazon also suspends, bans, and takes legal actions against individuals and entities violating its policies and has dedicated teams to combat bad actors attempting to solicit fake reviews.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jun/06/amazon-promises-fake-reviews-crackdown-after-investigation-by-uk-watchdog
