As the government gears up to implement its new subscription contracts regime—part of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA)—ESco is right at the heart of the conversation, championing the needs of our publishing clients.
Earlier this month, our very own Alistair Wood (Operations & Development Director) and Louise McHale (Deputy Managing Director) sat down with Eilidh Wilson, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at the PPA, alongside other major players in the subscription world. On the agenda? Making sure the publishing industry’s voice is heard in the Department for Business and Trade’s consultation on the proposed legislation changes—and how they could affect magazine and digital publishers.
We’re proud to be part of this collective effort, working with the PPA and fellow industry leaders to shape a future where subscription-based publishing remains fair, sustainable, and practical.
Alistair sums it up perfectly: “At ESco, we are proud to represent the operational and commercial realities of our publishing clients. Our involvement in these key policy conversations ensures that their voices are heard and their business models protected.”
So, what are the key issues on the table? Here’s what the PPA is pushing for in their response:
Let’s talk perishable goods
Print magazines should be recognised as perishable—they’ve got a short shelf life and lose value quickly. That means they shouldn’t fall under the same refund rules as other products. It’s just not realistic.
Refunding digital content: A slippery slope
Pro-rata refunds for digital content? Not helpful. It opens the door for people to binge, cancel, and repeat. The PPA is proposing a more practical fix: clear, up-front waivers at point of purchase and renewal.
Cancellation: Keeping it simple
There’s concern over whether making someone create an account just to cancel is really compliant. Plus, what happens with gift subscriptions, where the buyer and recipient aren’t the same person? Yep—more clarity needed.
Renewal notices vs GDPR
New rules allow for more promotional content in renewal messages, but does that clash with GDPR and PECR? There’s a grey area here, especially when relying on third-party data. No one wants to send dodgy emails.
Pre-contract small print
The legislation suggests key terms must all fit on a single page (with no extra clicks). Publishers argue that linked pages are often the only user-friendly way to do it. We agree—context matters.
Chargebacks and post-implementation reviews
There’s a call for an economic impact assessment, and rightly so. Plus, chargebacks via online banking continue to hit publishers hard—even when the transactions are entirely valid.
So what does all this mean for you? The shape this legislation eventually takes will directly affect how organisations handle memberships, subscriptions, cancellations, and renewals—especially for digital and gift subscriptions.
We’re on it. ESco will keep working alongside the PPA to bring clarity, raise the right questions, and push for common-sense solutions that actually work for publishers.
If you’ve got questions or want to talk through what this might mean for your business, give your ESco Client Relationship Manager a shout. We’re here to help.
