Buying a Google review is now illegal. Asking for one honestly still isn't.

What does fake Google reviews UK law actually say

Under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act, writing or commissioning fake reviews, and submitting or hosting reviews you know or suspect to be fake, is now explicitly listed as a banned commercial practice. This gives the CMA stronger, direct enforcement powers rather than relying only on general unfair trading rules.

This applies to reviews bought from third parties, written by staff or family posing as customers, and reviews solicited through incentives — a discount, a prize draw entry or free product in exchange for a positive write-up all count as problematic, even if the review itself happens to be genuine.

What businesses must not do

• ✓Buy reviews from review-selling services or marketplaces.
• ✓Ask staff, friends or family to post reviews pretending to be customers.
• ✓Offer money, discounts or freebies specifically in exchange for a positive review.
• ✓Post negative reviews about competitors.
• ✓Suppress or hide genuine negative reviews rather than responding to them.

How to deal with fake reviews about your business

1. 01Identify reviews that look fake: no purchase history, generic wording, posted in a sudden cluster, often from a competitor or disgruntled ex-employee.
2. 02Flag the review directly on your Google Business Profile — Google reviews it against their policies.
3. 03Respond calmly and factually to any review while it's under review, without accusations you can't prove.
4. 04Keep records of genuine transactions in case you need to support a removal request.
5. 05Report serious or repeated cases to Trading Standards if you suspect deliberate, organised fake review activity.

“Fake reviews have been a specific banned practice under UK consumer law since 2025.”

Building genuine reviews the right way

The safest and most effective approach is simply asking every genuine customer for a review after the job, with no reward attached. A steady trickle of real, unprompted reviews builds trust with both customers and Google far more reliably than a burst of fake ones ever will.

How Google's own review policies fit alongside UK law

Google's review policies already banned fake, incentivised and conflict-of-interest reviews before the law changed, and Google can remove reviews or suspend profiles that breach them. UK consumer law now sits alongside this, giving the CMA and Trading Standards separate enforcement powers against the businesses involved, not just the platform's own moderation.

What a genuine review request should look like

A simple text or email sent after a job is completed, asking honestly for feedback with a direct link to your review page, is both compliant and effective. Avoid timing requests only after good experiences, avoid offering anything in return, and let the rating reflect whatever the customer genuinely thinks.