CMA investigates sports equipment seller Ping for alleged anti-competitive conduct
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) began investigations back in November 2015 over concerns that there was a restriction to competition in the sports equipment market.
On the 9th June 2016, the CMA brought allegations against sports equipment seller Ping for suspected breaches of competition laws in the UK for prohibiting retailers from selling their gold clubs online.
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On 2nd April 2014, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) produced a report that identified some players in the private healthcare sector were engaging in behaviour that had an adverse effect of competition.
HCA Healthcare UK is one of the private hospitals that was investigated.
In this report, the CMA found that some consultants and healthcare service providers didn’t always publicise their performance or fees for clients. By doing this, clients were potentially prevented from being able to effectively ‘shop around’ by comparing public and private services and costs associated with the latter.
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CMA fines Pfizer and Flynn Pharma £90 million for abuse of dominant market position and price hiking
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has cracked down on excessive and unfair pricing allegations over Phenytoin Sodium capsules. Pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and Flynn Pharma are accused of abusing dominant positions in the sector to inflate profits; breaking U.K. and EU competition laws in the process.
The CMA’s investigations were reportedly hampered as Pfizer failed to provide information as requested by the authorities.
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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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CMA stops investigating the auction house industry in return for commitments
An investigation into the auction house industry was opened on 22nd November 2016 after allegations there had been an abuse of a dominant position by introducing exclusionary and restrictive pricing in respect of online sales.
ATG Media is the largest provider of live online bidding platforms in the U.K. These platforms are used by auction houses to enable online live bidding without bidders having to attend in person. In August and September 2016, the CMA investigated allegations that ATG Media had engaged in anti-competitive conduct in relation to the provision of live online bidding auction platform services.
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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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Alleged anti-competitive conduct from suppliers of Remicade drug
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has been investigating the pharmaceutical industry since 1st December 2015 for suspected breaches of competition laws.
In one investigation, it’s alleged that pharmaceutical company Merck Sharp & Dohme Limited (MSD) engaged and operated in an anti-competitive discount scheme for its medicine brand Remicade which is the biological medicine called infliximab.
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Six Somerset estate agents breaching anti-competition laws issued fines by the CMA
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) have concluded their investigations into a handful of estate agents who were suspected of engaging in anti-competitive and cartel behaviour.
Six estate agents in Somerset are being held liable for breaching Chapter I of the Competition Act 1998 and were handed fines totalling £370,000. One of the agents escaped a fine as they were the first to confess their participation in the anti-competitive behaviour, and subsequently co-operated with the CMA in its investigation.
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