Supporting the transition to a low carbon economy is one of the CMA’s goals in its 2021–2022 Annual Plan, which includes a commitment to improving its understanding of ‘green’ claims made by sellers to consumers and, where appropriate, making use of its powers to correct false or misleading statements that affect consumers. Read more

On 29 June 2020 the CMA imposed total fines of £5.8 million for resale price maintenance (RPM) in the musical instruments and equipment sector, in three separate cases.  This follows the fines imposed in August last year on Casio (£3.7 million) and in January this year on Fender (£4.5 million) for similar conduct and brings … Read more

JD Sports has filed an appeal with the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) against the decision by the CMA to prohibit its acquisition of rival retailer Footasylum, with the appropriate treatment of Covid-19 a key area of dispute between the parties and the CMA. Among the grounds of appeal published on 23 June 2020, JD Sports … Read more

The Covid-19 health crisis raises substantial challenges for businesses and consumers and has had a significant impact on competition law affecting the consumer sector. While the particular implications will vary by jurisdiction, some common trends may be identified. One broader development is that competition authorities have recognised that certain forms of temporary cooperation between businesses, … Read more

A new Competition Act Exclusion Order, the Competition Act 1998 (Dairy Produce) (Coronavirus) (Public Policy Exclusion ) Order 2020 (the Dairy Exclusion Order) came into force on 1 May 2020.  Under the Competition Act 1998 (Schedule 3 paragraph 7) the Government can exempt certain specified agreements from the Chapter I prohibition if there are exceptional … Read more

On 28 March 2020 three Orders excluding certain types of agreements from the Chapter I prohibition (prohibition on anti-competitive agreements) under the Competition Act 1998 came into force: The Competition Act 1998 (Groceries) (Coronavirus) (Public Policy Exclusion) Order (“Groceries Exclusion Order”) The Competition Act 1998 (Health Services for Patients in England) (Coronavirus) (Public Policy Exclusion) … Read more

Updated 30 March 2020 The CMA wants to avoid competition law putting the brakes on any cooperation between businesses that may be necessary to ensure the security of supplies of essential foods and  services.  In order to reassure businesses that it will not take enforcement action in respect of such arrangements it has published ‘Guidance … Read more

The UK Government will shortly be adopting legislation that will relax the application of the UK competition rules to certain types of agreements in the groceries sector, in order to ensure a smooth and efficient supply of food and essential grocery products to the most isolated and vulnerable consumers. Information sharing and other types of … Read more