An assessment of the relationship between the benefits a customer receives and the total price or costs of a product, within the applicable Consumer Duty framework.
Why the distinction matters
It is not just a lowest-price comparison. Different customers can use a product differently, and the benefits described in marketing may not be available to all of them. Record assumptions and limitations.
In the working file
Illustrative example
A team compares the cost and usable benefits of two representative customer-use patterns. These are labelled hypothetical scenarios, not measured customer results.
Use the term in context
Record the legal entity, activity, period and applicable source alongside the term. A familiar label does not remove the need to establish scope. Our operating playbook connects this definition to a practical process.
Read the related playbookSources & scope
Primary sources used for this research edition. Document dates and commencement dates are different fields. Recheck the issuing authority before acting.
- FCA: Consumer Duty information for firmsGuidance · source reviewed 12 November 2026
- FCA: Consumer Duty board reports: good practice and improvementReview · source reviewed 12 November 2026