Expert legal advice from The Competition Lawyers

Tag: cma

Unfair funfair for fairgoers! CMA targets Funfair business!

First published by Admin on January 05, 2017 in the following categories: Latest and tagged with

cma funfair investigation

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has recently issued a statement of objections to the Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain, a trade association for the travelling funfair business, for its alleged anti-competitive practices.

The Guild’s 127-year-old carnival rules have allegedly protected their own Guild showmen from competition and reduced the chances for potential new attractions to join fairs. This could potentially limit free choice of millions of fairgoers as well as deprive them of access to improved rides and attractions. This could also hinder the fairgoers value for money as a lack of competition can mean a hike in prices.
read more


CMA’s investigation into the pharmaceutical industry for its steep price increase

First published by Admin on January 01, 2017 in the following categories: Latest and tagged with

Pharmaceutical companies are being investigated over ‘unacceptable and unethical’ price hikes.

The health department spokesman said that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) are carrying out five investigations into the pharmaceutical and health sector.
read more


Enforcement investigation launched in the secondary ticketing sector

First published by Admin on December 30, 2016 in the following categories: Latest and tagged with

cma ticket investigation

The Office of Fair Trading (the U.K.’s former competition watchdog) launched an investigation into the secondary ticketing market back in 2012. As a result of the investigation, four secondary ticket sellers gave undertakings to the current competition watchdog, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

Now, the CMA has recently launched an enforcement investigation to see whether the sector are complying with consumer protection laws.
read more


The pharmaceutical industry’s £90 million fine for anti-competitive pricing

First published by Admin on December 26, 2016 in the following categories: Price Hikes and tagged with

Pharmaceutical abuse

Earlier this month, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) issued an infringement decision that two companies had breached competition laws.

The CMA found that Pfizer (Ltd and Inc) and Flynn Pharma (Ltd and Holdings) both abused their respective dominant positions by imposing unfair prices for phenytoin sodium capsules that they sold in the U.K. This infringed the Chapter II Prohibition of the Competition Act (CA) and Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
read more


Has DX and First Post merger created a substantial lessening of competition in the market?

First published by Admin on December 25, 2016 in the following categories: Mergers and tagged with

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) are in the process of deciding whether DX Network Services Ltd (DX) and First Post Ltd (First Post) merger has created a ‘substantial lessening of competition in the market’.
read more


Offering discounts can amount to breach of competition laws in the Pharmaceutical industry

First published by Admin on December 24, 2016 in the following categories: Latest and tagged with

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened an investigation in December 2015 for a suspected breach of EU and U.K. competition laws in the pharmaceutical industry.

The CMA are looking at whether an unnamed pharmaceutical company has abused a dominant market position by offering discounts on products, which may have breached Chapter II of the Competition Act (CA), and Article 102 Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
read more


Director has been disqualified for five years for infringement of Competition law

First published by Admin on December 23, 2016 in the following categories: Latest and tagged with

green heating and insulation

This case shows the range of powers of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Recently, the CMA managed to secure the disqualification of a director who breached competition law.

Daniel Aston, a former director of Trod Limited, infringed the Competition Act from March 2011 to July 2015 by making an anti-competitive agreement with GB Eye Limited. The agreement detailed that both companies wouldn’t offer to sell licensed sport and entertainment posters and frames for a lower cost than the other.

This is a clear breach of fair competition rules.
read more


“A lack of competition in SSCP’s recent acquisition?” – CMA are investigating whether SSCP has acted anti-competitively in Acorn acquisition

First published by Admin on December 20, 2016 in the following categories: Acquisitions and tagged with

In September this year, the Competition Markets Authority (CMA) served an Initial Enforcement Order (IEO) on Stirling Group and SSCP Spring Topco for an allegation that they acted anti-competitively in their recent acquisition.

Earlier this year, Acorn Care 1 Ltd was acquired by SSCP Spring. Acorn is a reputable care service provider who offers special needs education, residential and foster care, for children and young adults with complex needs.

But the acquisition may be in breach of the rules!
read more


“Suspected anti-competitive agreements in the solid fuel industry” – Agreements that could infringe EU and national competition laws

First published by Admin on December 19, 2016 in the following categories: Latest and tagged with

solid fuel cma investigation

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) are looking into an alleged anti-competition agreement made between companies for the supply of solid fuel products in the U.K.

There are no substantive grounds to find that there has been a breach of national and EU competition laws at present, but the CMA was notified of the suspicions, and an investigation was recently launched.
read more


“Is the cleaning services sector lacking a competitive edge?” Alleged anti-competitive agreements in the industry may be an infringement of the Competition Act

First published by Author on November 17, 2016 in the following categories: Latest and tagged with

The cleaning services sector is the next sector to receive the limelight and an investigation from the UK’s Competition Markets Authority (CMA).

In March this year, the CMA launched an investigation into alleged agreements following allegations that the sector were involved in anti-competitive arrangements, which claimed an infringement on the Competition Act 1998.

These are very serious allegations.
read more