On 5 March 2020 the CMA issued a statement warning traders not to exploit the coronavirus outbreak to take advantage of people. Traders should behave responsibly and not charge vastly inflated prices or make misleading claims, for example about the efficacy of protective equipment. The CMA noted that members of the public who resell goods, for example on online marketplaces, may be subject to the same restrictions.

The CMA will consider any evidence of breaches of competition and consumer protection law, take direct enforcement action in appropriate cases and assess whether it should advise Government to consider taking direct action to regulate prices.

CMA Chair Lord Tyrie said "We will do whatever we can to act against rip-offs and misleading claims, using any or all of our tools; and where we can’t act, we’ll advise government on further steps they could take, if necessary."