AI rivals not guaranteed spot on Google search screens under UK plans Tech 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 [...]
Google to pay £260m to settle ‘unfair’ pricing class action lawsuit Lawsuit Google’s parent company, Alphabet, has agreed to pay £260m to settle a class action lawsuit that alleged the US company imposed “unfair and excessive” charges on app developers selling apps on the Google Play Store. The case, brought to the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) by competition law professor Barry Rodger on behalf of UK app [...]
Apple claims CMA app store shake-up could ‘open the door to scams’ Tech 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 [...]
Housebuilding giants hit with £4.5bn lawsuit for allegedly overcharging buyers June 30, 2026 Seven of Britain’s largest housebuilders are facing a class action lawsuit worth a potential £4.5bn in damages over allegations they overcharged 700,000 buyers of new-build properties. Mark McLaren, former parliamentary and legal affairs manager at consumer group Which?, is planning on launching the claim against FTSE 100 firms Barratt Redrow and Persimmon, FTSE 250 companies [...]
CMA launches antitrust probe into Hollywood’s mega merger June 9, 2026 The UK’s competition watchdog has launched a formal merger enquiry into Paramount Skydance’s anticipated $110bn (£86bn) acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, escalating the regulatory hurdles facing a deal that has already triggered a fierce, multi-front corporate war over Hollywood jobs and executive payouts. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced Tuesday it has commenced its [...]
Emma Sleep agrees to change ‘illegal’ sales practices following court settlement May 28, 2026 The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has agreed a partial settlement with mattress company Emma Sleep after it admitted to breaking consumer law over its pricing tactics. The settlement is legally binding, so if Emma Sleep fails to comply, it “could result in contempt of court proceedings, potentially leading to significant penalties,” the CMA said. [...]
Mike Ashley: I was behind Peter Cowgill’s JD Sports downfall May 10, 2026 Billionaire businessman Mike Ashley has admitted he masterminded the infamous car park footage leak that brought down his arch rival, JD Sports’ boss Peter Cowgill. Cowgill, who was executive chairman of JD Sports, quit the sportswear retailer in 2022 after being fined by the competition watchdog over a car park rendezvous with the boss of [...]
City watchdog probes Mastercard, Visa, Paypal for alleged anti-competitive conduct May 6, 2026 The City watchdog has confirmed it is investigating a trio of payments giants over alleged anti-competitive conduct. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will probe Mastercard, Paypal and Visa under the Competition Act 1998 regarding its suspected conduct related to the “funding and usage” of Paypal’s digital wallet. Paypal’s digital wallet is an app-based system that [...]
Forget ‘price gouging’ – this is where competition is really failing April 1, 2026 Rachel Reeves is scapegoating supermarkets for rising oil prices while ignoring algorithms that can learn ant-competitive pricing strategies, says Paul Ormerod The government is desperately trying to convince the public that it is doing something about the potential economic crisis which is unfolding. The public finances are a severe constraint on its ability to throw [...]
CMA must act now to fix Britain’s broken cloud market March 20, 2026 The CMA correctly diagnosed the UK cloud market as broken and dysfunctional, so why isn’t it changing anything, writes Lord Clement-Jones.