Online geo-blocking set to be banned

Online retailers could soon be banned from blocking customers or offering different prices and payment terms based only on their nationality or place of residence.

The government has opened public consultations on changes to the country's e-commerce law.

The new law would also stop businesses from automatically redirecting customers to another version of a website without their consent.

The new rules would ban different conditions for buying goods, accessing online services or making payments based only on a customer's nationality, residence, bank account or the country where their payment card was issued.

Businesses would not have to deliver goods to countries where they do not already operate.

The changes would bring the country's rules into line with European Union legislation as part of its accession process.