Expert legal advice from The Competition Lawyers

The CMA are investigating the provision of residential estate agency services

First published by Author on May 18, 2018 in the following categories: Investigations

housebuilding market study

The CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) are investigating the provision of residential estate agency services over suspicions that there may be anti-competitive agreements in place, contrary to Chapter I of the Competition Act 1998 (CA98).

The investigation came off the back of information gleaned from a previous investigations involving residential estate agency services in the Burnham-on-Sea area.

Not a great deal of information has been released about his one given that the investigation is in its infancy, but it could be a big one if the CMA find that there are anti-competitive arrangements in place.

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Are online gambling companies treating their customers fairly?

First published by Author on May 11, 2018 in the following categories: Industry and tagged with

gambling

Are online gambling companies treating their customers fairly? The UK’s Competition and Market’s Authority (CMA) has been reviewing the industry for a while now, and with the recent story about gambling company LeoVegas said to be “failing” problem gamblers, it’s a market that needs a very close eye on it.

The CMA has been asking online gambling firms to agree to a number of undertakings as they continue to watch over this lucrative but also somewhat problematic industry.

The CMA has written to more online gambling firms about their practices recently as a number of enforcement actions have been taken to ensure the market is healthy, and ensure online gamblers are free of unfair obstacles and practises.

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Asda-Sainsbury’s merger will raise competition questions

First published by Author on May 03, 2018 in the following categories: Mergers and tagged with |

The Asda-Sainsbury’s merger will raise competition questions and will, we strongly suspect, draw the attention of the UK’s competition watchdog, the Competition and Market’s Authority (CMA), who will conduct a review to assess the impact the merger may have on the market.

With the merger set to result in Asda and Sainsbury’s controlling 60% of the market, the CMA will need to ensure that any merger that does go ahead – if it’s even allowed to proceed in the first place – will not put consumers in a worse position in the long-run.

Consumers are being promised price cuts of 10%, but in the absence of any specificity as to the products that will be cut, the potential merger has raised a lot of eyebrows.
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New draft of consumer law regulations attempts to improve quality of life for residents within the UK care home industry

First published by Author on April 27, 2018 in the following categories: Industry and tagged with |

cma investigate elderly care homes

A new draft consumer law advice for the UK care home industry is being considered, with a particular focus on curbing charges after a resident’s death.

The care home industry has been under close scrutiny in recent years from the UK’s competition watchdog – The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) – over families bearing the costs of fees after a resident has passed away. The CMA has been looking at the industry as a whole to ensure there is fair competition to keep fees down in an era where elderly care is both costly and straining under a continually ageing population.
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CMA clamp down on car hire websites over “hidden” costs

First published by Author on April 20, 2018 in the following categories: Industry Pricing and tagged with | |

car rental sites

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) have clamped down on car hire websites over “hidden” costs, resulting in changes as to how quotes are to be presented, and ensuring more information is provided as to what additional costs could be incurred.

The investigation has seen online travel agent P&P Associates Ltd, as well as price comparison website companies Affordable Car Hire Ltd and Flexiblecarhire.com Ltd, commit to ensuring all compulsory charges are contained within quotes.

Now, things like fuel surcharges, additional fees for young drivers and out-of-hours pick up charges must be included in the initial quotes.
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UK pharmaceutical companies paying millions of pounds to healthcare professionals

First published by Author on April 13, 2018 in the following categories: Incentives and tagged with | |

pharmaceutical companies pay millions of pounds to healthcare professionals

According to a report from The Times newspaper, UK pharmaceutical companies are reportedly paying millions of pounds to healthcare professionals and other organisations.

American pharmaceutical companies have previously come under fire for reportedly paying healthcare professionals to push their products, and it now appears the UK may have the same problem.

According to The Times, two of the biggest pharmaceutical players in the UK have been making “secret payments” of almost £20 million to reportedly “plug” their products.
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Customers being duped into bogus holiday discounts and deals

First published by Author on April 06, 2018 in the following categories: Investigations and tagged with

consumers stung by bogus holiday deals

According to investigations by consumer group Which?, who have asked Trading Standards to investigate travel firms, consumers are potentially being duped into purchasing holiday deals in bogus sales and discount schemes.

Promotions were reportedly tracked, and it was found that some discounts and deals were available for the same price or less after a time-limited “sale” had ended.

Some travel firms are being accused of offering misleading discounts to dupe holidaymakers into paying hundreds of pounds more than necessary off the back of bogus deals.
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CMA investigate the design, construction and fit-out services industry

First published by Author on March 30, 2018 in the following categories: Investigations and tagged with |

UK roofing materials sector

At the end of last year, six months on from initial investigations and information gathering, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) decided to open investigations in to the ‘design, construction and fit-out services’ sector over suspicions of competition act breaches.

No conclusions have yet to emerge, and the investigations remain ongoing. However, this sector has had its fair share of investigations and breaches in the past, so we wouldn’t be at all surprised if the investigation concludes that the law has been broken in some way.
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Ping Europe Limited (Ping) hit with £1.45m fine for banning two retailers selling their golf clubs online

First published by Author on March 23, 2018 in the following categories: Latest and tagged with

production and broadcasting of sports

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has hit Ping Europe Limited (Ping) with a fine of £1.45m for refusing to allow their golf clubs to be sold online.

They have also been forced to repeal their online sales ban immediately.

The CMA ultimately found that Ping’s online sales ban was a restriction that could adversely affect competition in the market by closing one of the most important distribution channels available to the retailers involved; i.e. the world wide web.
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CMA decision published: anti-competitive arrangements lead to fines of £1.71m issued to suppliers of ‘cleanroom’ laundry services

First published by Author on March 15, 2018 in the following categories: Investigations and tagged with |

cleanroom services anti-competition laws

Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) decision was published about Micronclean Limited and Berendsen Cleanroom Services Limited who were found to have allocated territories and customers plus both companies had agreed not to compete with each other’s relevant allocations.

This is a very serious breach of competition laws – the market is essentially rigged in their favour by sharing the market and agreeing not to compete. This can lead to inflated prices, a lack of innovation and little choice for consumers in the market. This behaviour favours the companies financially, and not the consumer; totally against the principles of fair competition.
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