The online marketplace and e-commerce agenda

Our latest report (available for download above) is designed to help companies navigate the rapidly evolving regulatory agenda for online marketplaces and e-commerce across the UK and the EU.

Online marketplaces are subject to requirements across online safety, consumer protection and AI regulation, alongside wider obligations spanning financial crime, product safety, trade and sustainability.

In addition, a regulatory emphasis on how marketplaces are designed, operated and governed means there is an increased focus on user journeys, risk assessment methodologies, transparency and AI-enabled systems.

Marketplaces that take a proactive, joined-up response will be better placed to enhance trust, reduce risk, realise operational efficiencies and support sustainable growth.

There is no formula for compliance, with the exact response differing on a company-to-company basis. However, in this fast moving and complex environment, this report sets out our view on eight priority areas that online marketplaces can prioritise to stay ahead of the regulatory curve. Three fictional case studies bring three of these priority areas to life, illustrating practical implications for the customer journey, minors’ protection and AI governance.

Who is this report for?

This report is intended for senior leaders across legal, compliance, risk, strategy, product, technology and operations functions.

Whilst it is most relevant to marketplaces hosting third-party sellers, many themes also apply to broader e-commerce models, including own-brand web stores, retailers and discovery or comparison services.

Watch our webinar recording

On 30 June 2026, the EMEA Centre for Regulatory Strategy hosted a webinar to present key insights from the report and discuss them with a panel of Deloitte experts. You can access the webinar recording here