Getty Images’ £3bn Shutterstock merger captures watchdog’s eye June 23, 2025 The $3.7bn (£2.9bn) merger between Getty images and Shutterstock has caught the attention of the UK’s competition watchdog. The deal, which was first announced in January, has the potential to monopolise the stock image market for creative, media and advertising industries. At the time of the announcement, Getty Images said the merger was expected to [...]
CMA to probe delivery of UK road and railway projects as costs soar June 19, 2025 The UK’s competition watchdog will launch a review into the delivery of UK road and railway infrastructure amid widespread delays and cost overruns. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said its study would focus on “persistent issues around cost and delivery” of schemes across the country. It comes a day after the government delayed HS2 [...]
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. [...]
Vodafone completes £15bn Three mega-merger with major pledge June 2, 2025 FTSE 100 giant Vodafone has vowed to invest as much as £1.3bn in network infrastructure over the next 12 months after completing its blockbuster £15bn merger with British rival Three. The capex commitment is part of a pledge to invest £11bn over the next decade by the combined entity, which will be called VodafoneThree and [...]
CMA handed ‘strategic steer’ as government pushes pro-growth agenda May 15, 2025 The UK’s competition watchdog has been handed a “strategic steer” from Downing Street as the government pushes regulators to adopt its pro-growth agenda. The strategic steer, which is issued to regulators each parliament, sets out the government’s priorities for regulators and how they engage with the private sector. According to the Treasury, the steer “resets [...]
Andy Haldane: Government’s bid to cut red tape ‘has little chance of success’ May 7, 2025 The government’s call for regulators to slash red tape “has little chance of success” unless watchdogs’ mandates are changed in law, according to the Bank of England’s former Chief Economist Andy Haldane. Speaking at the City AM Awards in London’s Guildhall, Haldane criticised the government’s policy of seeking regulatory reform “via exhortation and press release” [...]
Trainline to take on Labour as shares plunge May 7, 2025 Trainline shares fell nearly eight per cent in early deals on Wednesday despite ticket sales reaching almost £6bn across its platform. The London-listed ticketing app’s stock price has fallen by more than a third this year due to concerns over government plans to launch a rival state-owned service. Trainline said it was taking an “increasingly [...]
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 [...]
Businesses told to watch out as CMA complaints spike ahead of new powers March 26, 2025 Complaints to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) have jumped by almost a quarter in the year leading to the watchdog being handed more power. According to research commissioned by law firm Pinsent Masons, concerns raised about competition and consumer law surged by 23 per cent from 4,728 to 5,823 in the year to 30 [...]