Apple faces UK crackdown over iPhone contactless payments Tech Apple could be forced to slash the fees it charges rival payment providers and loosen its grip on iPhone contactless technology under new proposals unveiled by Britain’s competition watchdog. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Tuesday that Apple’s high fees and restrictive terms were stifling competition, preventing businesses from developing alternatives to Apple [...]
MPs press competition watchdog to probe live music industry’s ‘dominant’ firms Business A government committee has urged the competition watchdog to launch a probe into the UK’s live music industry and the most “dominant firms”. The Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee said on 18 October it is “pressing” the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to launch a full market investigation into the live music industry in [...]
Wayfair among firms hit with £6m fine for ‘misleading’ sales tactics Retail Online retail giant Wayfair is among three firms fined £6m by the competition watchdog for misleading sales tactics. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Wednesday it fined Wayfair £4.8m for misleading customers with false limited-time offers that did not end when they said they would. This follows an investigation in which the CMA [...]
AI rivals not guaranteed spot on Google search screens under UK plans September 24, 2026 ChatGPT and other AI assistants are not guaranteed a place on Google’s search choice screens under new UK competition rules, City AM understands, despite proposals to open the door to rival services. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is still consulting on the criteria AI providers will have to meet to qualify for inclusion, with [...]
Trainline and Virgin Atlantic face watchdog’s ‘drip pricing’ probe August 19, 2026 The UK’s competition watchdog has launched an investigation into three companies over concerns that customers were not shown the total upfront price when buying train and coach tickets, holidays or driving lessons. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) will probe the activities of Trainline, Virgin Atlantic and RED Driving School as part of a wider [...]
Paramount-Warner Bros deal faces ‘sufficient competition’, says CMA August 17, 2026 The Paramount-Warner Bros Discovery merger will face “sufficient competition” in the UK to prevent the combined Hollywood giant from gaining too much market power, the competition watchdog has said. In a full decision published on Monday, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) laid out why it cleared the £111bn tie-up earlier this month, after examining [...]
ITV hands shareholders £100m returns after £1.6bn Sky deal July 31, 2026 ITV has announced a £100m share buyback as part of its commitment to return £950m to investors following its blockbuster £1.6bn Sky deal. The broadcaster said the “milestone” merger will “unlock significant value for shareholders,” as it posted a two per cent jump in revenue across the last six months. Earlier this month, ITV agreed [...]
Sky and ITV mount defence of £1.6bn merger as regulators probe deal July 24, 2026 Sky and ITV will argue their proposed £1.6bn merger controls only around a fifth of Britain’s advertising market as they seek to convince competition regulators to approve one of the biggest media deals in decades, City AM understands. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on Wednesday invited comments on Sky’s planned acquisition of ITV’s Media [...]
ITV says ‘no guarantees’ on jobs after £1.6bn Sky deal July 6, 2026 ITV and Sky executives have said they can make no guarantees on job cuts after the two companies announced a £1.6bn merger on Monday. Employees of ITV have been warned the tie-up between Britain’s two biggest commercial broadcasters could lead to redundancies, and there are “no guarantees” over their jobs. Speaking after the acquisition was [...]
Apple claims CMA app store shake-up could ‘open the door to scams’ June 30, 2026 Apple has claimed that proposed UK competition reforms to its App Store risk “opening the door to scams”, as the CMA prepares to push ahead with plans to loosen the grip Apple and Google hold over in-app payments. The watchdog on Tuesday launched a consultation on new conduct requirements under Britain’s Digital Markets, Competition and [...]