1.6.7 Competition Policy
Why do businesses need to be regulated for competition purposes?
- Mergers need to be investigated.
- Mergers could increase prices
- Mergers could discourage innovation
- Mergers could limit consumer choice.
- Ensure that firms do not engage in anti-competitive behaviour, e.g. cartels.
- Consumers need to be protected (under consumer law).
Useful information from the CMA:
- CMA Website
- About the CMA
- Video: How You Can Help Fight Cartels
- Video: Abuse of Dominant Market Position
- Competing Fairly in Business (Video Playlist)
Useful competition news sources:
- BBC Newsfeed: Competition and Markets Authority
- The Guardian Topic Page: Competition and Markets Authority
- CMA Case Studies
Ohter CMA Info:
- Private Schools Fee-Fixing
- Sainsburys-Asda Merger Article (The Economist 2018.05.03)
- CMA Boss: 'Imbalance of power' between big tech and sovereign nations (Video)
- Explanatoin of UK Competition Law (Super Extension)
CMA Selected News Stories:
- Fuel prices still cause for concern, warns watchdog (10-Nov-2023)
- Amazon and Microsoft to face cloud computing competition probe (05-Oct-2023)
- Vet prices review over fears pet owners are being overcharged (07-Sep-2023)
- US moves to block Microsoft's Activision takeover (13-Jun-2023)
- Meta loses millions as made to sell Giphy to Shutterstock (23-May-2023)
- Britain shoots down Microsoft’s $69bn Activision deal from TheEconomist (29-Apr-2023)
- Microsoft's Activision Blizzard deal: What you need to know (26-Apr-2023)
- Amazon takeover of iRobot faces UK watchdog review (06-Apr-2023)
- Rural fuel more expensive, says watchdog (06-Dec-2022)
- Google and Facebook too powerful, says watchdog (14-Nov-2022)
- Amazon could pay UK shoppers £900m compensation (20-Oct-2022)
- Meta ordered to sell Giphy by UK's competition watchdog CMA (18-Oct-2022)
- JD Sports loses millions in forced Footasylum sale (01-Aug-2022)
- Competition watchdog says helicopter merger raises concerns (16-Nov-2021)
- JD Sports furious after being forced to sell Footasylum (04-Nov-2021)
- Facebook fined a record £50m by UK competition watchdog (20-Oct-2021)
- Competition watchdog clears Viagogo-Stubhub merger (08-Sep-2021)
- Covid PCR tests: Call to investigate cost of travel tests in Wales (25-Aug-2021)
- Nvidia's takeover of Arm raises serious concerns, says watchdog (20-Aug-2021)
- Competition watchdog says Facebook could have to sell Giphy (12-Aug-2021)
- Groupon told to improve how it treats customers (09-Aug-2021)
- Covid testing is rip-off, says former regulator (17-Jul-2021)
- Funeral firms ordered to make prices clearer (16-Jun-2021)
- Apple and Google investigated by UK competition body (15-Jun-2021)
- Facebook probed by UK and EU competition watchdogs (04-Jun-2021)
- Asda takeover 'could lead to higher petrol prices' (20-Apr-2021)
- Virgin Media and O2 'blockbuster' merger provisionally approved (14-Apr-2021)
- Google, Facebook and Amazon face new UK regulator (07-Apr-2021)
- Danske Bank reprimanded by UK competition watchdog (06-Apr-2021)
- Former FP McCann bosses banned over role in price fixing (18-Mar-2021)
- Apple investigated in UK over 'unfair' App Store claims (04-Mar-2021)
- Facebook and Google 'too powerful' says watchdog boss (23-Feb-2021)
- Gumtree Shpock tie-up could raise fees and reduce choice, warns watchdog (16-Feb-2021)
- Online shoppers warned about hidden price rises (20-Jan-2021)
- Nvidia takeover of chip designer Arm investigated (06-Jan-2021)
- Rangers face competition investigation over replica kit pricing (16-Dec-2020)
- Billionaire Issa brothers' Asda takeover deal probed (09-Dec-2020)
- Lastminute.com to pay £7m in holiday refunds (01-Dec-2020)
- ComparetheMarket fined £17.9m over competition law breach (19-Nov-2020)
- Visa and Mastercard accused of charging 'excessive' fees (20-Oct-2020)
- UK U-turn allows Amazon to invest in Deliveroo (25-Jun-2020)
- Berkshire estate agents directors banned for price-fixing (15-Jun-2020)
- JD Sports' takeover of Footasylum blocked by watchdog (06-May-2020)
- Competition watchdog raises fintech merger concerns (30-Mar-2020)
- Tesco told not to block rival supermarkets (14-Feb-2020)
- FP McCann facing £25m fine for part in price fixing cartel (23-Oct-2019)
- Sainsbury's-Asda merger blocked by regulator (25-Apr-2019)