Competition and Markets Authority
This coverage examines the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) interventions and decisions affecting the UK retail sector, focusing on mergers, market investigations, pricing policies, and consumer protections. Reporting highlights how regulatory actions influence retail competition, compliance obligations, and strategic planning — offering insight for executives, legal counsel, and professionals navigating regulatory risks and market oversight.
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Jan- 2024 -31 JanuarySupermarkets
Morrisons to sell 337 petrol forecourts in £2.5bn deal
Morrisons has revealed it has agreed a deal with Motor Fuel Group (MFG) to sell 337 Morrisons petrol forecourts (including fuel, convenience retail kiosk and ancillary services) in a £2.5bn deal. The agreement also includes the acquisition of more than 400 associated sites, across the UK, for Ultra-Rapid electric vehicle…
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Dec- 2023 -7 DecemberNews
Today’s news in brief-7/12/23
Kelso, an activist shareholder in THG, has intensified its campaign for THG to clarify its plans to separate its three business divisions. Kelso believes that splitting the divisions (beauty, nutrition, and ecommerce services) would bridge the gap between THG’s share price and its true value. The shareholder has written to…
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7 DecemberSupermarkets
Morrisons and M&S made ‘unlawful’ land deals to block rivals, CMA finds
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has taken action after finding that Morrisons and Marks and Spencer made unlawful anti-competitive land deals to block rivals. The regulator confirmed the retailers have now agreed to address 65 anti-competitive land agreements which prevented competitors from opening nearby. According to the CMA, the…
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Nov- 2023 -29 NovemberNews
Today’s news in brief-29/11/23
José Neves, the owner of luxury fashion site Farfetch, is reportedly in talks to take the company private, just five years after its IPO on the New York Stock Exchange. Farfetch has seen over 90% of its value wiped out since its listing in 2018. Neves, who holds a 15%…
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29 NovemberSupermarkets
Branded grocery suppliers increased unit profitability, CMA probe finds
A number of suppliers of branded grocery products “raised prices faster than costs rose”, according to the CMA’s latest findings from its review of competition among supermarkets. The news follows an initial assessment that focused on retail competition in the groceries sector from July, which identified 10 product categories including…
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Oct- 2023 -23 OctoberNews
Today’s news in brief-23/10/23
John Lewis is facing criticism from city planners over its affordable housing plans. Initially, the company aimed to make 20% of the housing in its Bromley development affordable. However, recent revelations indicate that only 10% of the flats will be designated as affordable. The Greater London Authority’s Planning Unit deems…
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23 OctoberOnline & Digital
European authorities greenlight Farfetch’s YNAP acquisition
Online retailer Farfetch has officially been given the green light by European authorities to acquire a large stake in Yook Net-A-Porter (YNAP). The European Commission unconditionally cleared its acquisition of a 47.5% stake in YNAP from Richemont, the owner of Cartier. It was the last regulatory authority required to provide…
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6 OctoberOnline & Digital
CMA to probe Amazon and Microsoft cloud market dominance
Ofcom has referred the public cloud infrastructure services market to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for further investigation following its own probe into UK cloud services. It comes as an Ofcom study identified features that supposedly make it more difficult for UK businesses to switch and use multiple cloud…
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Aug- 2023 -1 AugustNews
JD Sports escapes fine over Leicester City merch deal
JD Sports has managed to avoid a fine despite having broken competition law with Leicester City FC, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) stated yesterday. In an official announcement, the CMA announced that a £880,000 fine has been imposed on Leicester City FC Limited, King Power International Co. Limited and…
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Jul- 2023 -27 JulyOnline & Digital
Amazon offers to change Marketplace rules to address CMA concerns
Amazon has offered to change the way it treats third-party sellers using its Marketplace platform in the UK, by submitting proposed commitments to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in response to competition concerns it raised with the technology giant. The CMA said it considers that these commitments – if…
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