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CMA investigates care home sector
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has recently opened an investigation in the care homes industry over concerns that the industry is breaching consumer laws.
On 13th June 2017, the competition watchdog opened an investigation into several care home providers for two primary reasons:
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Unfair Funfairs: update on CMA investigation in to the leisure industry
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has been investigating the leisure industry as the funfair sector has allegedly breached competition laws under Chapter I of the Competition Act (CA).
The Chapter I prohibition bans agreements made between two or more companies that prevent, restrict or distort competition within the U.K. The result of such agreements is that markets can adversely suffer, and consumers can be left with higher prices and reduced innovation and quality.
Where the CMA suspects there are illegal agreements in place, they’ll often investigate the issues to stamp out any problems.
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CMA issues furniture parts suppliers with fines totalling almost £3 million
The household goods, furniture and furnishings sector may be one of the last sectors anyone would consider to be involved in illegal cartels; but several suppliers of furniture parts were found to have breached competition laws by engaging in anti-competitive behaviour.
For this, the parties were fined a total of £2,818,000.
Our Competition Act prohibits behaviour that restricts competition in any market. Such behaviour can hinder healthy competition and distort product pricing as well as innovation. These can be very bad for the consumer.
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Light suppliers and retailers infringing competition laws issued with £2.7 million fine
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has recently reached conclusions that suppliers of light fittings and retailers / resellers have breached competition laws i.e. Chapter I of the Competition Act (CA) and/or Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
The case was opened on 16th August 2016 when the CMA were suspicious that anti-competitive agreements were being made between a supplier of light fittings, National Lighting Company Limited (‘NLC’), and its resellers. The products being investigated were the Saxby and Endon brands of domestic light fittings which included lamp shades, table lamps and wall light fittings.
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Update: is there a competition infringement in the supply of solid fuel products?
In November 2016 the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched an investigation into the supply of solid fuel products in the U.K.
The investigation relates to Chapter I of the Competition Act (CA) 1998 that bans agreements made between two or more companies that prevent, restrict or distort competition within the U.K., and as a result may affect the trade or market within the U.K.
We have blogged about anti-competitive agreements in the solid fuel industry before, and here is an update on the current situation.
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CMA keeping a watchful eye on the online travel agents sector
Back in September 2010, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened an investigation into suspected breaches of competition laws in the recreation and leisure market sector.
Hotels were suspected of breaching competition laws by discounting restrictions in arrangements between hotels and online travel agents.
Ever since, the CMA has been keeping a very close eye on what is a lucrative and multinational industry where competition is significantly important.
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The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has concluded their investigations into suppliers of galvanised steel tanks after over 3 years of investigations.
The CMA has issued a series of penalty fines to four suppliers, reaching £2.5million in total. Details of the investigation and reasons for the size of the fine were published on the CMA’s website on 29th March 2017.
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CMA investigations into secondary ticketing websites who sell on tickets for inflated prices
Back in 2012, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) was prompted to open investigations amidst concerns that secondary ticketing websites were buying mass quantities of tickets for concerts, sports games and other performances, to sell them on at a higher price.
These websites have the disposable income to buy a large percentage of available tickets so that the remaining tickets being sold at retail price will run out quickly. As a result, consumers may be left with no choice but to buy them from the secondary ticketing website at a higher cost.
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CMA update on the investigation in to the personal and small business banking sector
The Competition and Markets Authority has been investigating the supply of Personal Current Accounts (PCA) and banking services to small and medium sized enterprises on suspicion of anti-competitive behaviour.
The CMA conducted the investigation after complaints and concerns were made over the services retail banks provided. The main areas focused on were:
- Whether there is a weak customer response due to lack of engagement and/or barriers to searching and switching reducing the incentives on banks to compete on price and/or quality and/or to innovate;
- Whether there are barriers to entry and expansion constraining the ability of banks to enter or expand; and
- Whether the level of concentration is having an adverse effect on customers
Nurofen’s producer fined £3.6 million for their misleading marketing
Nurofen’s British producer, Reckitt Benckiser, has been fined 3.6 million pounds after it was found that they had misled customers with Nurofen Specific Pain products.
In December 2015, courts found the pharmaceutical manufacturer to be involved in “misleading conduct” by representing that Nurofen Specific Pain products targeted a specific area.
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