CMA won’t look back in anger over dynamic pricing practices June 20, 2025 Dynamic pricing can deliver “good outcomes for consumers”, the UK’s competition watchdog has said, after concluding a probe into the practice sparked by a consumer backlash over soaring prices at Oasis concerts. The strategy, in which the same products are sold to different consumers at different prices based on levels of demand, attracted furore last [...]
Challenger banks scout exit routes as giants circle Metro and TSB June 19, 2025 Analysts are pencilling in a fresh wave of banking deals with challenger banks set for a market departure. Moody’s analysts have said challenger banks will “seek exit after weak performance” as industry juggernauts set their sights on ramping up their market share. Takeover talk has gripped the City after reports Shawbrook’s private equity owners were [...]
Wowcher: Profit slashed after huge refund over pressure selling tactics June 17, 2025 Profit at Wowcher has been slashed after the UK’s competition watchdog scored a major victory against the e-commerce giant. The London-based business promised the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in July last year that it would change its online selling practices and hand 870,000 customers a share of more than £4m in refunds. The move came [...]
Wincanton: Losses double as GXO takeover decision drags on June 12, 2025 Losses at Wincanton have doubled after leaving the London Stock Exchange as a decision over its acquisition by GXO has still yet to be made. The Wiltshire-headquartered business slipped into the red for the first time in more than 20 years in the year to 31 March, 2024 – posting a pre-tax loss of £44.9m. [...]
Vets complaints service for pet owners ‘completely unjust’, says consumer body May 30, 2025 Britain’s pet owners are being underserved by the vet industry’s complaints service, according to a leading consumer body. Which? found that the complaints process is “often stacked against pet owners”, with owners put off making a complaint and limited help for those that do. The findings come amid a watchdog probe into the vet sector, [...]
What’s wrong with the UK ticketing industry? May 20, 2025 It took just minutes for Oasis tickets to disappear. But, in the rush to secure a seat for one of Britain’s most anticipated reunion tours, thousands of fans were left empty handed, frustrated, and in too many cases – swindled. The chaos that followed didn’t just expose demand for a beloved band, but revealed the [...]
CMA to investigate Aviva’s £3.7bn Direct Line deal May 14, 2025 The UK’s competition watchdog has begun an investigation into insurance giant Aviva’s proposed £3.7bn acquisition of Direct Line. The Competition and Markets Authority said it had commenced its phase one inquiry to establish whether the deal would result in a “realistic prospect of a substantial lessening of competition.” The CMA has invited comment on the [...]
Google pays up as antitrust scrutiny heightens May 13, 2025 Google’s recent settlement of $1.38bn (£1.05bn) with the state of Texas marks a significant moment in the tech titan’s ongoing legal battles over both privacy violations and anti-competitive practices. The settlement, which resolves two major lawsuits filed in 2022, accused Google of secretly collecting biometric data such as facial recognition and local tracking, without user [...]
Alphabet slides as Apple eyes Google overhaul – and UK probe looms May 8, 2025 Alphabet – Google’s parent company – suffered its worst drop in shares since October on Wednesday, falling 7.5 per cent after the iPhone maker, Apple, revealed a historic sip in Safari search and hinted to a strategic shift to AI-powered rivals. This move may be the first signs of the end for Google’s long held [...]
CMA chair: ‘The UK desperately needs economic growth’ April 30, 2025 The CMA is evolving but we will always stick firmly to the fundamentals: Protecting UK consumers and promoting competition, says new chair Doug Gurr Today I’m speaking to my fellow chairs at a summit of the UK major regulators. It’s a privilege to be part of the deep collective experience and commitment of that group [...]