Are loyalty schemes now seen as an anti-competitive practice?

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) recently opened a public inquiry for suspected anti-competitive conduct relating to loyalty schemes.

Although the Gov.uk website doesn’t detail masses of information on the investigation, there’s a suspected breach of UK and EU competition laws in relation to loyalty-inducing practices in consumable goods.

The investigation opened on the 16^th February this year. The CMA has allowed a period of time from February to May to gather information, including gathering formal or informal information requests and parties’ responses. The competition watchdog will then have to make a decision in June whether to proceed with the investigation or to close the investigation.
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Competition and Markets Authority issues £2.8 million fine to two furniture suppliers for anti-competitive behaviour

The Competition and Markets Authority has issued a hefty £2.8 millionfine after two suppliers of products to the furniture industry admitted to anti-competitive behaviour.

The CMA opened their investigation in March last year after two suppliers of drawer wraps and fronts were suspected to be conducting illegal cartel agreements to share the market. As a result of the investigations, fines in the millions have been issued after breaches were identified.
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“Hanging out the dirty laundry” – The cleanroom laundry industry exposed?

The cleanroom industry is being investigated by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for suspected anti-competitive agreements. If true, they’ll likely be found in breach of competition laws.

Two suppliers of cleanroom laundry services and products – Micronclean Ltd (formerly Fenland Laundries Ltd); and Berendsen Cleanroom Services Ltd (formerly Micronclean (Newbury) Ltd) – are suspected of breaching competition laws by marketing and sharing products, and/or services, under the ‘Micronclean’ brand. The suppliers allegedly divided up customers by geographical ‘territory’ and/or customer type under the agreement.
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Is Formula 1 guilty of anti-competitive practices?

Formula 1 is receiving limelight that it probably isn’t used to.

Members of the European Parliament have given their blessing to the European Commission to undertake an inquiry on Formula 1’s suspected “anti-competitive practices”.

Many spectators are unaware of the happenings ‘behind the scenes’ of the sport; however the investigation launched by the European Commission may shed some light in alleged ‘underground-esque dealings’.
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Are online gambling companies playing a sleight-of-hand?

An inquiry into the gambling industry has been launched by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The competition watchdogs are concerned whether the gambling companies are treating their customers fairly.

In an industry as valuable as this, it’s important the CMA investigate any potential infringements that could affect consumers.
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CMA investigate care homes for the elderly

The Competition and Markets Authority has recently started a market study into the care homes for the elderly to see how well the market works, and to ensure people are being treated fairly.

Not long ago, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) began looking into whether care home providers are treating their residents and representatives in a fair manner. In this study, the CMA is encouraging any interested persons to come forward with any information to help them.
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