We were commissioned by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) to carry out research into the prevalence and impacts of the use of default options on e-commerce websites and apps, which could potentially be causing harm to consumers.

We first conducted a prevalence study by reviewing consumer journeys on 558 of the most popular e-commerce websites and mobile applications in the UK. The aim was to understand the frequency with which default options are used. This study also identified sub-categories of default options depending on their location in the user journey, format, and sector.

To assess the impact of potentially harmful defaults, we then created and launched an online shopping experiment among 6,000 UK adults. Through the experiment, we gained an in-depth understanding of how different types of default options can affect user behaviour. A follow-up survey was used to gain qualitative insights into users’ experiences, thoughts, and beliefs about defaults.

Among our key findings was that 49% of sampled websites and apps had defaults, with those in the retail sector most likely to feature them. The prevalence study suggested that a majority of default options currently in use are not harmful to consumers, as they often promote the cheapest option available. However, the results from the online experiment show that the use of defaults can potentially increase the likelihood of consumers choosing more expensive options by 60% to 70%. Older adults, in particular, are more susceptible to having their decisions affected.

These results highlight the importance of facilitating consumer-centric innovation in which online retailers use defaults when it benefits consumers, with particular care taken to protect more vulnerable consumer groups.