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The report follows a super-complaint from Which? that highlighted that consumers choose credit cards without understanding all the issues that affect the cost of the card. OFT research shows that 70 percent of credit card holders did not shop around before selecting their current card, and that this meant they could be placing themselves at a financial disadvantage.

Research into the report involved looking at issues surrounding the comparative costs of using different credit cards for purchases, cash advances, introductory offers and payment allocation. The research followed work with the credit card industry, consumer groups, other regulators, government bodies and other key stakeholders.

The main recommendations

• The introduction of an independent credit card price comparison website run by the FSA
• improvement to how information is presented in credit card issuers' summary boxes
• standardisation of terminology used by credit card issuers in their product literature
• improvements to consumer education about the benefits of shopping around for a credit card.

The OFT will work with the card industry to implement the improvements to summary boxes, standardisation of terminology and education campaign.

John Fingleton, OFT Chief Executive said:

'No-one wants to throw money away, but consumers who don't shop around for credit cards are doing just that. It is essential that consumers are given the right tools to make comparisons between credit cards more easily, and we can achieve this through some of the recommendations announced today which have received widespread support from the FSA, APACS and the rest of the financial sector.'

The OFT will work with all the relevant parties to implement these recommendations.

Further information

• Credit card comparisons - a report by the Office of Fair Trading Opens new window

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