

Stephen McDonald
Head of EconomicsLatest articles from Stephen

The CMA's Remedies Working Paper for its market investigation in veterinary services
Which? response to the CMA’s consultation on the Vets market investigation: remedies working paper

By Fair Means or Foul?
Consumer Attitudes towards Dynamic Pricing
DBT's consultation on the resale of live events tickets - Which? response
Which? response to DBT's Putting Fans First - A consultation on the resale of live events tickets
Competition and Markets Authority Draft Annual Plan 2025 to 2026
Which? response to the CMA's consultation on its draft annual plan for 2025 to 2026 emphasising the importance of the CMA making effective use of both its consumer protection and competition powers, including the new powers provided through the DMCC Act, to protect consumers

Consumer Policy for Economic Growth
In this collection of five essays with contributions from leading business voices, we set out the important ways in which consumer policy can be used to support economic growth
Decoy offers and consumer choice
Experimental evidence on the impact of decoy broadband packages.
Loyalty Schemes and Member-only Price Promotions
A policy research report exploring member only promotions at supermarkets and major health and beauty retailers
The CMA's Issues Statement for its market investigation in veterinary services
Which? response to the CMA’s Issues Statement for its Market Investigation into the supply of veterinary services in the UK
Digital Markets Competition Regime Guidance
Which?'s response to the Competition and Markets Authority consultation on its draft guidance
The CMA's proposed Market Investigation Reference for veterinary services
Which? details our support for the CMA's proposed Market Investigation Reference into veterinary services

Consumer harm in veterinary services

Priority Places for Insulation Index: Mapping the UK’s Home Insulation Needs
Which? has developed an index to identify local areas by need for insulation by combining data on housing stock and the socio-economic and health indicators of the local population

The benefit of certainty
Valuing consumer preferences for fixed price broadband contracts
DWP consultation on Ending the proliferation of deferred small pots - Which? response
Which?'s response to DWP's consultation on its proposed automated consolidation solution to address the growth of deferred small pots

Customer knowledge and understanding of mid-contract price rises

Consumer Protections and Economic Growth
This report sets out how effective consumer protections can support economic growth by encouraging competition and innovation in markets. Good consumer protections play a vital role in fostering a well-functioning market economy, where firms compete fairly by becoming more efficient, innovative and ultimately more productive. They can also engender confidence in consumers to try new firms, products and services in ways which can benefit businesses that want to grow
CMA consultation on Draft guidance on the application of the Chapter I prohibition in the Competition Act 1998 to environmental sustainability agreements - Which? response
Which? welcomes the CMA’s publication of this draft guidance
Consumers in Northern Ireland 2023
A cost of living crisis briefing
Consumers in Scotland 2023
A cost of living crisis briefing