CMA investigate the design, construction and fit-out services industry
First published by Author on March 30, 2018 in the following categories: Investigations and tagged with cma | construction industry
At the end of last year, six months on from initial investigations and information gathering, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) decided to open investigations in to the ‘design, construction and fit-out services’ sector over suspicions of competition act breaches.
No conclusions have yet to emerge, and the investigations remain ongoing. However, this sector has had its fair share of investigations and breaches in the past, so we wouldn’t be at all surprised if the investigation concludes that the law has been broken in some way.
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Ping Europe Limited (Ping) hit with £1.45m fine for banning two retailers selling their golf clubs online
First published by Author on March 23, 2018 in the following categories: Latest and tagged with cma
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has hit Ping Europe Limited (Ping) with a fine of £1.45m for refusing to allow their golf clubs to be sold online.
They have also been forced to repeal their online sales ban immediately.
The CMA ultimately found that Ping’s online sales ban was a restriction that could adversely affect competition in the market by closing one of the most important distribution channels available to the retailers involved; i.e. the world wide web.
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CMA decision published: anti-competitive arrangements lead to fines of £1.71m issued to suppliers of ‘cleanroom’ laundry services
First published by Author on March 15, 2018 in the following categories: Investigations and tagged with cma | competition law
Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) decision was published about Micronclean Limited and Berendsen Cleanroom Services Limited who were found to have allocated territories and customers plus both companies had agreed not to compete with each other’s relevant allocations.
This is a very serious breach of competition laws – the market is essentially rigged in their favour by sharing the market and agreeing not to compete. This can lead to inflated prices, a lack of innovation and little choice for consumers in the market. This behaviour favours the companies financially, and not the consumer; totally against the principles of fair competition.
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Vital Hydrocortisone tablets at the centre of suspected excessive and unfair pricing to the NHS
First published by Admin on March 09, 2018 in the following categories: Price Hikes and tagged with nhs | overpriced medication
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) are investigating price-hikes of vital hydrocortisone tablets on the basis that they suspect they are being excessively inflated.
Intas Pharmaceuticals Limited and Accord Healthcare Limited, which acquired Actavis UK in January 2017, are at the centre of the CMA’s investigations. The suspicion is breaches of competition laws through unfair prices over the supply of hydrocortisone tablets in the UK to the NHS.
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A little about competition law…
First published by Admin on March 02, 2018 in the following categories: Latest and tagged with competition law
Competition law allows for fair competition to be maintained between companies and prevents companies taking part in anti-competitive behaviour.
The UK is governed by UK and EU competition laws, and if it’s found that a company has engaged in anti-competitive behaviour, there can be serious consequences. The two common ways in which competition law can be breached is: engaging in anti-competitive agreements; abuse of a dominant market position.
Both can lead to fines for offending companies.
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A review of the construction recruitment agencies competition investigation
First published by Admin on February 23, 2018 in the following categories: Investigations and tagged with cartels | price fixing
Six construction recruitment agencies were found to be in breach of the Competition Act 1998 between 2004 and 2006 by creating a cartel in order to boycott another company, Parc UK, and fix the fee rates they would charge other construction companies as well.
The six companies reportedly met on five occasions where they agreed to not use Parc, who were a mediator between recruitment agencies and constructions companies. Parc was apparently putting pressure on the margins of the six construction recruitment agencies involved.
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Multiple shipping companies admit to price-fixing agreements for their services
First published by Admin on February 16, 2018 in the following categories: Industry and tagged with price fixing | shipping
Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL) has pleaded guilty to price-fixing and was ordered to pay almost £70 million for breaching competition laws.
Three other companies have reportedly followed WWL’s footsteps and have also pleaded guilty.
Several former and current executives for WWL have been indicted on charges of anti-competitive behaviour over accusations of price-fixing for some of its international ocean shipping. Former executives were apparently charged in November 2016 along with a current executive as well.
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CMA provides updated reports on investigations into the care home sector
First published by Admin on February 09, 2018 in the following categories: Investigations and tagged with cma | elderly homes
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published a couple of reports concerning their investigations into the care home market in the U.K. The first is a final report on the general market, and looks at how elderly and vulnerable residents are being treated. The second consists of an order to stop care homes from overcharging families in upfront costs, fees and continuing to charge families when the resident passes away.
The care home sector has seen a fair amount of scrutiny in the past few years, and for good reason. These institutions take in the elderly and vulnerable to provide them with a home and a sense of community with peers. These people are the most susceptible to harm as their physical and mental states deteriorate; relying on carers to look after them.
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CMA investigating pharmaceutical sector for alleged excessive and unfair pricing over liothyronine tablets
First published by Admin on February 02, 2018 in the following categories: Investigations and tagged with cma | price fixing
After a year of making its preliminary probes, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has decided that there are substantive grounds and evidence to continue investigations into the pharmaceutical sector for allegedly charging excessive and unfair prices for liothyronine tablets.
Liothyronine tablets are used to treat hypothyroidism. Without enough thyroid hormones, our bodies’ metabolism slows down, making us feel tired, depressed and cold, all the while putting the pounds on. Liothyronine isn’t the main drug used to treat hypothyroidism but a lot of people are not suited to the primary drug and can only take liothyronine.
The suspected players in the market may be distorting competition for the thyroid hormone drugs
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Competition and Markets Authority determines TalkTalk and CityFibre appeals over BT leased lines
First published by Admin on January 26, 2018 in the following categories: Latest and tagged with cma
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has made a determination after TalkTalk and CityFibre have allegedly been overcharged for BT leased lines.
Leased lines are “high quality, dedicated, point-to-point data transmissions services” for essential communication services. BT leases out these lines to other telecommunication provides like TalkTalk and CityFibre, but the control they have other the prices has been disputed by the two users.
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