A free dessert for a Google review, 10% off the next stay for a Tripadvisor write-up, a bonus for the waiter who gets named most often: when you need more reviews, offers like these are tempting. This guide sets out what UK law and the three big review platforms say about them, as of September 2026, and what you can do instead.
The short answer
On Google, Tripadvisor and Trustpilot, no. All three ban offering guests an incentive in exchange for a review, whatever rating they give (Google, Tripadvisor, Trustpilot).
UK law is narrower. It doesn't ban incentivised reviews outright, but it does ban reviews that hide the incentive. The CMA's guidance on fake reviews also says that posting an incentivised review on a site that doesn't allow them is likely to be misleading. So on the sites your guests use, an incentive breaks the platform's rules and risks breaking the law too.
The practical test: if a guest gets something because they left, changed or removed a review, don't offer it.
What UK law actually requires
Paragraph 13 of Schedule 20 to the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 came into force on 6 April 2025. It bans submitting or commissioning fake reviews, and reviews that conceal the fact they have been incentivised. It also bans showing reviews or ratings in a misleading way, and puts duties on anyone who publishes them, which our guide to the UK fake reviews ban explains.
The Act defines commissioning broadly:
"commissioning" includes incentivising by any means
Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, Schedule 20, paragraph 13(5)(g)
The CMA's guidance (known as CMA208) gives examples of commissioning, including discounts or vouchers, freebies, free stays and invitations to events. It adds that asking a member of staff to write a review of your business can count too (para 2.10).
Incentives are not banned in themselves. The guidance says a business that incentivises reviews must tell consumers the review was incentivised, and the review must still reflect the reviewer's genuine experience (para 3.7). Two catches matter for venues:
- The platform's rules count. The CMA says that where a site bans incentivised reviews, submitting one "is likely to be misleading" (para 3.4). Disclosing the incentive won't make the review acceptable to the site, and the CMA's labelling advice is written for sites that do allow them (para 3.5).
- Paying to change a review is a named example. One of the CMA's examples of unlawful commissioning is offering a customer who left a negative review a refund or gift card if they change it to remove the negative comments, so it no longer reflects their genuine experience (example 4 after para 3.5).
The CMA can now fine businesses directly for breaking these rules, up to £300,000 or 10% of turnover, whichever is higher. It has already opened a case under them. As of September 2026, the case is open. It is looking at whether the food brand Pasta Evangelists offered customers discounts on future orders in exchange for 5-star reviews on delivery apps, without disclosing it. The CMA says no finding has been made and that it should not be assumed the company has broken the law.
Google's rules
Google's Maps content policy treats reviews posted because of an incentive as fake engagement and rating manipulation, and removes them. Its examples of incentives are payment, discounts and free goods or services, whether offered for posting a review or for changing or removing a negative one. Google's guidance for business owners says the same.
Google may also restrict the Business Profile. Its examples include blocking new reviews or unpublishing existing ones for a set period, or showing customers a warning that fake reviews were removed.
Staff are covered too. Google doesn't allow businesses to ask staff to collect a set number of reviews, or to ask for reviews with particular content, including a staff member's name. It also counts reviews based on a conflict of interest, such as current or former employment, as rating manipulation.
Tripadvisor's rules
Tripadvisor's review guidelines are the broadest. It is against the rules to "offer or promise anything in exchange for any reviews, irrespective of rating". Its examples include free drinks, discounts, entry into a contest and donations to a cause in the guest's name.
For hotels, Tripadvisor's help article for owners also rules out upgrades and special treatment, whether for the current stay or a future visit.
On staff, Tripadvisor bans incentives for employees who encourage reviews. Its examples are a bonus for being mentioned in a review and a competition for the most reviews in a set period. Current and former employees can't review the property at all. Staff must not write reviews for guests, set up their accounts, watch them while they write or suggest wording.
Breaking these rules can lead to ranking penalties, a red badge on the listing and exclusion from Tripadvisor's awards.
Trustpilot's rules
Trustpilot's Guidelines for Businesses say review invitations must be fair and neutral, with no incentives. Its list of things you must not offer for writing or editing a review includes discounts, promo codes, prize draw entries, refunds, freebies and any other benefit connected with your business.
It also tells businesses not to invite people with a special relationship to the business, such as close family, people who work in or with it, or shareholders. And it bans pressuring anyone to write, edit or delete a review.
Grey areas: prize draws, loyalty points, "thank-you" offers
Prize draws
Here the law and the platforms part company. The CMA's guidance (footnote 8) says a prize draw, which doesn't guarantee the reviewer a direct benefit, is "unlikely to amount to commissioning" under the law. But Tripadvisor lists entry into a contest as a banned incentive, and Trustpilot names prize draw entries. Google's policy doesn't name prize draws, but it bans incentives in exchange for posting any review, and a draw entry is offered for exactly that. With two platforms ruling them out by name, leave draws out.
Loyalty points
Points given for a review are a benefit tied to it. Tripadvisor's ban covers anything, and Trustpilot's covers any benefit connected with your business. Google's list of incentives is given as examples, and points work much like a discount. Keep reviews out of your loyalty scheme entirely. Points for visits or spend are a separate matter.
"Thank-you" offers and service recovery
Ask one question: does the guest get this because of a review? A welcome-back offer sent to every guest, whether or not they review, isn't given in exchange for a review. "Show us your review for a free coffee" is. To keep the line clear, don't put offers and review requests in the same message.
A refund or goodwill gesture to fix a complaint is normal service. It becomes a problem when the gesture depends on the guest changing, removing or not posting a review. The CMA's guidance warns against making a complaint's resolution depend on the guest not leaving a negative review (para 4.4). If the complaint is a bad review, reply to it publicly and keep any gesture private and unconditional.
At a glance
| Offer | UK law | Tripadvisor | Trustpilot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discount or freebie for a review | Must be disclosed and genuine; likely misleading where the site bans them | Banned | Banned | Banned |
| Prize draw entry for a review | Unlikely to count as commissioning | Not named, so avoid | Banned | Banned |
| Refund or gift card to change a bad review | A CMA example of unlawful commissioning | Banned | Banned | Banned |
| Refund or gift card to remove a bad review | CMA warns against suppressing genuine negative reviews (para 4.4) | Banned | Banned | Not named; pressure to delete is banned |
This reflects each source as of September 2026.
What you can do instead
Asking for reviews is fine. The CMA says that encouraging reviews without steering what people say, for example by simply emailing customers to ask if they'd like to leave one, is not prohibited (para 3.6). The platforms want the same thing: ask everyone, in the same way, with nothing attached. Our guide to getting more Google reviews covers the wording and where to put your link.
A Monday-morning check
- Audit every place you ask for reviews. Check table cards, receipts, booking confirmations, post-stay emails, your website and social posts. Remove anything that links a review to a discount, drink, upgrade, draw or points. Check too that every guest gets the same request, because asking only the ones you expect to be happy is review gating, which all three platforms ban.
- Check your staff schemes. Drop review-count targets, bonuses for being named in reviews and any coaching that asks guests to mention a staff member.
- Brief the team in one sentence. For example: "We never offer anything for a review, and we never ask a guest to change one."
- Keep service recovery separate. Resolve complaints on their merits. Never make a refund or gesture depend on what the guest posts.
- Make asking easy and neutral. Google suggests putting your review link or QR code on receipts, in thank-you emails and on display in the venue. Plain wording works: "How was your visit? Tell us on Google."
- Check anyone who asks on your behalf. The CMA's guidance applies to marketing companies and others acting for a business (para 3.3), so ask any agency how it collects reviews for you.
Where Monty fits
Monty asks every guest for feedback through a branded review page opened from a QR code on table cards, stands or room cards, in 31 languages and with no app or login.
A low rating or an issue report becomes an SOS alert for the right person by email, WhatsApp, Telegram or in the app, and unacknowledged alerts escalate after two hours.
This article is general information, not legal advice.
The team behind Monty, proactive reputation management for restaurants, hotels, bars and cafés.
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