Archives
Competition and Markets Authority study in to the heat networks market
At the end of last year, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched a study in to the heat networks market, which is the market that involves the generation and distribution of heat to buildings.
The study was launched to ensure that the market was working for the consumers, and since the launch of their investigations at the end of 2017, a number of action steps have taken place.
These kinds of studies are common for the CMA to engage in as they look at any sector in the UK to make sure there is healthy competition and ensure that the consumer is always being treated fairly. The CMA will usually talk to the businesses involved in the market and obtain data from consumers and public sector sources.
Asda-Sainsbury’s merger will raise competition questions
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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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
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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CMA investigate the design, construction and fit-out services industry
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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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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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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CMA provides updated reports on investigations into the care home sector
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published a couple of reports concerning their investigations into the care home market in the U.K. The first is a final report on the general market, and looks at how elderly and vulnerable residents are being treated. The second consists of an order to stop care homes from overcharging families in upfront costs, fees and continuing to charge families when the resident passes away.
The care home sector has seen a fair amount of scrutiny in the past few years, and for good reason. These institutions take in the elderly and vulnerable to provide them with a home and a sense of community with peers. These people are the most susceptible to harm as their physical and mental states deteriorate; relying on carers to look after them.
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After a year of making its preliminary probes, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has decided that there are substantive grounds and evidence to continue investigations into the pharmaceutical sector for allegedly charging excessive and unfair prices for liothyronine tablets.
Liothyronine tablets are used to treat hypothyroidism. Without enough thyroid hormones, our bodies’ metabolism slows down, making us feel tired, depressed and cold, all the while putting the pounds on. Liothyronine isn’t the main drug used to treat hypothyroidism but a lot of people are not suited to the primary drug and can only take liothyronine.
The suspected players in the market may be distorting competition for the thyroid hormone drugs
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Competition and Markets Authority determines TalkTalk and CityFibre appeals over BT leased lines
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has made a determination after TalkTalk and CityFibre have allegedly been overcharged for BT leased lines.
Leased lines are “high quality, dedicated, point-to-point data transmissions services” for essential communication services. BT leases out these lines to other telecommunication provides like TalkTalk and CityFibre, but the control they have other the prices has been disputed by the two users.
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