Tag: price fixing

Office design and fit-out cartel leads to director disqualifications

The CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) has secured the disqualification of a number of directors in the aftermath of the fines issued in the office design and fit-out cartel investigation.

In April 2019, fines in the sum of £7m were issued to a number of companies who had been found guilty of breaking vital competition laws. For over a decade, the guilty companies had been engaging in cover bidding, where they were able to artificially inflate the prices of at least 14 contracts. This kind of behaviour can also reduce the quality of services on offer for the consumer as well.

Now, the CMA has taken further action by securing disqualifications for a number of directors who were involved in the cartel activity.

Groundworks supplier investigation: the latest

First published by Author on June 06, 2019 in the following categories: Cartels Industry Price Fixing Price Hikes Pricing and tagged with cartels | cma | investigations | price fixing | pricing

There’s an ongoing groundworks supplier investigation being conducted by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), so here’s the latest.

The investigation surrounds suspicions of anti-competitive behaviour in the sector for the supply of groundworks products to the construction industry. The CMA’s investigation is looking into whether any of the key suppliers in the market are breaching important competition laws. If they are found to be acting unethically, they could face substantial fines.

The investigation has been going on for some time now, and a great deal of evidence has been collected and reviewed so far.

Provisional finding in the pharmaceuticals competition investigation

There has been a provisional finding in the pharmaceuticals competition investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) who have been looking into companies for quite some time.

It has been alleged that anti-competitive agreements are in place between four firms in the sector, and the calculated costs to the NHS is terrifying. If the provisional finding is formalised, huge fines could be issued to the alleged offenders involved in the investigation.

The costs of anti-competitive arrangements in the pharmaceutical industry often fall on the NHS, and therefore on the taxpayer, which is why these kinds of investigations are incredibly important.

Provisional finding in the CMA roofing materials investigation

There’s been a provisional finding in the CMA roofing materials investigation that was launched in the summer of 2017, with three major suppliers alleged to be in a cartel.

The CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) believes that the three alleged cartel companies have been allocating customers, as well as information sharing and colluding on price. This type of behaviour usually only leads to one thing: bigger profits for the companies, and higher costs for the consumer.

An allegation of a cartel finding is incredibly serious, and the companies at the heart of this investigation could be issued significant fines that can run into the millions.

£7m in fines issued in office fit-out competition case

cma roofing materials sector investigations

A huge £7m in total fines has been issued after five companies have admitted to breaches in the office fit-out competition case.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has been investigating the design, construction and fit-out services market since 2017. In July 2018, they decided to continue their probes, and in March this year, fines have been issued and agreed.

The five companies that have admitted to breaches and will be fined are Coriolis, Fourfront, Loop, Oakley and ThirdWay.

Provisional finding in hydrocortisone competition case

There’s been a provisional finding by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the important hydrocortisone competition case, with a Statement of Objections issued.

In the coming weeks, the CMA expect written and oral representations to be made following the Statement of Objections that’s been issued.

The provisional findings of the CMA are incredibly worrying. It all comes down whether the two companies at the heart of the investigation colluded in order to charge higher prices and make bigger profits; all at the expense of our NHS, and our hard-earned tax money.

Court upholds ruling in galvanised steel tanks cartel investigations

First published by Author on March 21, 2019 in the following categories: Cartels Investigations Price Fixing Pricing and tagged with cartels | cma | competition law | price fixing | pricing

The Court of Appeal has upheld a previous ruling obtained by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) that’s related to the galvanised steel tanks cartel case.

Supplier Balmoral Tanks were fined £130,000.00 for exchanging competitively-sensitive information with competitors, despite refusing to engage in the main cartel they’d been invited to join. They’d tried to have the ruling overturned in 2017, which failed, and we’re glad to see the Court of Appeal has upheld the initial rulings.

The galvanised steel tanks cartel case has been a huge, long-running investigation involving the CMA. Although Balmoral were not a part of the main cartel, they still infringed vital competition law.

Brief update in the hypothyroidism tablets competition case

A brief update has been issued in the hypothyroidism tablets competition case surrounding alleged overcharging of liothyronine medication.

The liothyronine tablets are used to treat people lacking in thyroid hormones, which can lead to tiredness, slow metabolism, depression and other ailments. The CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) spent a great deal of time in 2017 gathering evidence for the case. In November 2017, a statement of objections was formally issued.

Last month, an updated statement of objections was issued by the CMA in this incredibly important investigation.

The Heathrow parking competition infringements case

First published by Author on December 14, 2018 in the following categories: Industry Latest Price Fixing Pricing and tagged with cma | price fixing | pricing

A hefty fine has been issued in the wake of the Heathrow parking competition investigation that drew to a conclusion a couple of months ago.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has issued a fine of £1.6m to Heathrow after they admitted to competition law infringements. The fine was originally £2m, but as a result of Heathrow’s cooperation and acceptance of wrongdoing, they received a leniency discount of 20%.

The investigation surrounds how parking charge rates were set in connection with the operator of Terminal 5 Hotel, Arora Group.

CMA consider appeal in phenytoin competition case

First published by Author on August 17, 2018 in the following categories: Market Sharing Price Fixing Price Hikes Pricing and tagged with cma | competition law | market abuse | price fixing | pricing

The CMA is considering an appeal in the phenytoin competition case after a Tribunal found that the CMA ruling of market abuse is incorrect.

The phenytoin competition case is one of the most pivotal cases of our time in terms of the cost of drugs to the NHS. A number of investigations and findings have been made against pharmaceutical giants for overcharging the NHS, putting huge strains on public finances, and the CMA’s intervention is vital for the survival of our public health service.

The Tribunal decision in the phenytoin competition case is a setback that the CMA is now considering an appeal for.