The competition framework Summary and Background
582.These sections reflect the Government’s desire for customers to have electronic access to details of transactions they enter into when buying goods and services, which they can then use to inform future purchasing and consumption behaviours.
583.The Government’s view is that a consumer who can make informed decisions about the goods and services they buy is more likely to seek better quality and value for their money, which in turn can help stimulate competition.
584.Existing legislation, notably the Data Protection Act 1998, gives customers access to their data but in a format to be determined by the provider, which may therefore be hard copy only. This does not allow them easily to use that information to compare prices or interrogate their consumption behaviour.
585.The Government has been working with suppliers in certain sectors to develop a voluntary programme for the release of electronic data to customers. These sections provide a backstop power for the Secretary of State to make regulations (a) requiring regulated persons to supply their customers, on request, with transaction data held in electronic form, and (b) providing an enforcement regime in the case of non-compliance.