Archives
Latest in the CMA road fuel market study
The CMA recently published an update in respect of its road fuel market study where it had been looking into the prices and competition in this particular sector.
The study was launched last year and came at an important time when the cost-of-living crisis was really hitting us all and continues to cause significant problems for families across the UK. It is essential to make sure that no companies are breaching competition law and that consumers are not being taken advantage of, particularly when we are all feeling the squeeze.
Fragrances and fragrance ingredients – suspected anti-competitive conduct
The CMA has confirmed that it has launched an investigation into suspected anti-competitive conduct relating to the fragrances and fragrance ingredients sector.
The CMA launched its investigation in March 2022, so we are only at the very beginning of the UK competition regulator and watchdog looking into what may or may not have happened. The CMA has confirmed that it has reason to believe that such behaviour may be taking place, and they are also liaising with international partners in respect of the investigation.
If any breaches of the Competition Act are established, this would constitute a serious matter that will need to be dealt with, and the CMA may wish to issue fines and prosecutions.
Unit pricing in the groceries sector: CMA project
The CMA has launched a project to look at the unit pricing in the grocery sector which, I think we can all agree, is a particularly important matter given the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
The CMA has published its announcement in respect of the project recently, so we are very much in the early stages of this particular one. The matter also follows a previous Super Complaint in respect of the complexities and issues that could have been impeding the ability of consumers to make informed choices in respect of price comparison.
Read on for a little bit of information about this latest CMA project. I think we can all agree it is one to watch given that we are all feeling the pinch at the moment.
Amazon marketplace investigation – CMA
The CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) is conducting an Amazon marketplace investigation to make sure that no competition laws are being breached.
We take a brief look at the information the CMA has provided so far as a pivotally important investigation that the competition regulator is conducting.
Old and written-off vehicles – suspected anti-competitive conduct
The CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) is looking into suspected anti-competitive conduct in relation to old and written-off vehicles in the UK.
The investigation began approximately a year ago, and we will outline an update that has already been published by the CMA at the end of last year in respect of a penalty notice that has been issued.
The car industry is massive, and there have been a number of scandals that it has been involved in in recent years, and it can be somewhat of a murky area in terms of consumer confidence. The CMA’s work in identifying if there have been any breaches of competition law is incredibly important. If any breaches are established, swift and effective action could be taken.
Social media endorsements – CMA investigations
For several years, the CMA has been investigating social media endorsements to make sure that vital competition and consumer laws in the UK and not being broken.
Given the prevalence of social media, particularly in respect of it being used for marketing and advertising these days, it is vital that people know when they are seeing advertisements and products and services being pushed for recompense by influences. There have been many questions as to whether it has been clear enough that people know they are being advertised to as opposed to simply being recommended a product, which is the real focus of the CMA investigation.
Private healthcare market competition investigation
The private healthcare market investigation that has been ongoing for over a decade is a matter that has seen a recent update published by the UK’s CMA, the Competition and Markets Authority.
Private healthcare is a particularly sensitive industry in relation to competition law, and it is one that must be monitored carefully to make sure that patients – i.e. consumers – can make the best choices for them. In this latest update from the CMA, it has been suggested that there is still much more work that needs to be done.
Suspected unfair pricing investigations
It is important for the CMA to look into incidents of suspected unfair pricing to ensure that consumers are not being overcharged and taken advantage of.
This can particularly be the case in relation to medication costs of which the CMA has looked into a number of issues about the NHS being overcharged, and we will provide an update of an example in this article.
Broadly speaking, it is important that pricing is set at fair levels and that companies are not taking advantage of consumers to drive their profits up in an obscene manner. At the same time, competition must be required to allow pricing to be set competitively as well.
Fuel retail market review in the UK – CMA
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has announced that it is conducting an urgent review into the UK fuel retail market at the request of the government.
The review comes at a time with soaring inflation, a cost-of-living crisis and the prices at petrol pumps spiralling out of control. We are all being hit by the increased cost of living, and the government must do all it can to ensure that the people do not suffer and face further hardship.
We welcome the review that is being conducted by the CMA, and we urge the government to step up in supporting people and preventing prices from soaring even further out of control.
Many businesses have made great leaps in their development due to technology, and the CMA’s (Competition and Markets Authority) Digital Markets Taskforce was created to investigate how competition could be regulated in a way befitting of the digital age. Asked by the government to carry out an advisory report, the CMA look to have made good on this goal, having published their findings and recommendations in December last year.
The revamped approach to digital firms will hopefully promote fair competition and reaffirm the rights of consumers, two of the key principles that must be there to ensure for fair competition. Both can be essential to ensuring a level playing field, and any failure in respect of these principles could constitute a breach of competition law. Breaches of competition law can often be very bad for the consumer, so the work of the CMA and other regulators is vital.