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PRODUCT DISCLOSURE

The FCA set out final rules for the new consumer composite investment disclosure framework in PS25/20: Supporting informed decision making: Final rules for Consumer Composite Investments.  This policy statement summarises feedback to consultation papers issued in December 2024 and April 2025. 

Following industry feedback and discussion, the policy statement includes clarification of the scope of the new rules, including the application to non-retail products.  Concerns were raised about the level of information included both from the perspective of overwhelm and the need to have access to comprehensive information.  The final rules include greater flexibility in how the product information is surfaced and a clear focus on helping consumers make timely, effective and informed decisions.

The new regime introduces the concept of a consumer composite investment.  This includes:

  • Open ended funds
  • Closed ended funds
  • Recognised funds
  • Structured products
  • Structured deposits
  • Contracts for difference
  • Insurance based investment products
  • Other complex products inc derivatives

Pension products, vanilla corporate bonds and pure protection contracts are specifically excluded from scope.

Manufacturers must create a consumer-friendly product summary.  This must include comparable key information about costs, risk and return, and past performance.  They have freedom over the design of the product summary.  Manufacturers must also provide a machine-readable file to distributors containing this core information.

Distributors must make the product summary available to clients and highlight key information to help consumers make effective and informed investment decisions.  Key information includes, a brief explanation of the product, the on-going costs figure of the product, and other costs relevant to the product, the risk and return score of the product and a brief explanation of the product’s risk and return profile, and any relevant warnings.  They have the flexibility to provide information in ways that best support customer understanding.  The product summary must be provided in a durable medium at the point of sale.

The volume of product information required from manufacturers is considerable. While the approach is intended to be flexible and straightforward, the mandatory information fields will inevitably produce a highly detailed document.  The tables below detail the information that must be included in the product summary

The legislation came into force in April 2026. After this date, manufacturers can choose to produce a product summary at any point.  Where this document is produced, distributors must surface this document for any product sold.  The rules come into force on 8th June 2027.  By this date, manufacturers must produce product summaries for any consumer composite investment they manufacture and distributors can only distribute consumer composite investments with an accompanying product summary.  Product data must be provided by the manufacturer to the distributor in a machine readable format.  Distributors should use this information to make their customer journeys accessible and to ensure key information is surfaced at appropriate times.

PIMFA has established an implementation Working Group to facilitate engagement across member firms, with the aim of supporting consistent interpretation, sharing emerging challenges, and agreeing best practice throughout the implementation process. We are also working closely with other trade associations to ensure effective information-sharing between manufacturers and distributors, and to coordinate the dissemination of guidance received from the FCA.

If you would like to join the working group and keep up to date with these developments, please contact Julia Sage-Bell.

Simplifying Consumer Investment Disclosures

The FCA published CP26-24 in early July. The paper covers the replacement disclosure to the existing MiFID Costs & Charges requirement. The FCA comments that it wants consumers to have access to simple disclosures that help them make informed decisions about investments. The proposals include:

  • Aligning the rules in COBS with the new CCI regime and to improve the consistency of cost disclosure throughout the investment journey
  • Remove the MiFID cumulative effect illustration and replace the post-sale version with a requirement for firms to show how costs have impacted returns
  • Allow firms flexibility in the presentation of cost categories in post-sale reporting but maintaining the requirement for total costs to be disclosed in monetary terms
  • Introduce disclosure requirements for cash holdings to improve transparency around the rate of interest paid
  • They aim to consolidate and simplify the requirements for MiFID, IDD and non-MiFID investment business.
  • Removing the requirements for professional client business and placing an obligation on firms to provide transparent cost disclosures and other core information

The paper also provided some easement in relation to transitional provisions for the CCI framework, allowing distributors the flexibility to surface either a KI(I)D or product summary document, where available, in the run up to the June 2027 implementation date. Manufacturers will not have to update their KI(I)D documents ahead of the launch of their product summary documents unless material changes have been made. Further flexibility is covered in CP26-32 which allows an additional 12 months transitional period for firms with closed book business where top ups and additional premiums are permitted.

The policy statement and final rules are expected in Q4 2026

CP26 – 24 Simplifying Consumer Investment Disclosures

Read the latest PIMFA response to CP26 – 24 Simplifying Consumer Investment Disclosures

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