Pastry prices: Watchdog warns Cérélia‘s purchase of Jus-Rol could leave UK shoppers at risk November 4, 2022 Puff pastry giant Cérélia‘s purchase of Jus-Rol could leave UK shoppers at risk of forking out higher prices, the competition watchdog has provisionally found. After an initial investigation, the Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) found that a merger of the two retailers raises concerns about the impact on prices and product quality. Ready-to-bake items [...]
Hashtag Ad: Competition watchdog asks brands to be more transparent over influencer adverts November 4, 2022 The competition watchdog has published fresh guidance for Instagram influencers and big tech firms to help users identify a paid for endorsement. Regulators want to see social media publishers commit to being more open and transparent about when posts are paid for adverts. Under the new guidance, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has asked [...]
Former Cabinet Ministers urge Jeremy Hunt to ‘unshackle’ the UK’s digital economy November 3, 2022 A cross-party letter has been handed to Jeremy Hunt urging the government to change legislation that would 'unshackle' the country's digital economy.
As Octopus reaches its tentacles into Bulb, a new Big Six is on the horizon November 3, 2022 Octopus Energy's takeover of Bulb signals the creation of a new Big Six, and an increasingly difficult market for challengers.
US judge blocks Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster’s £1.9bn merger November 1, 2022 A US judge has blocked Penguin Random House’s planned $2.18bn (£1.89bn) purchase of Simon & Schuster, after finding the move would hurt competition for anticipated best sellers. Judge Florence Pan of the US district court for the District of Columbia said that the combination of Bertelsmann owned Penguin and Paramount Global owned Simon & Schuster would “substantially” [...]
Pfizer and Flynn Pharma to appeal £70m fine for price hiking October 27, 2022 Pfizer and Flynn Pharma have filed an appeal against the UK’s competition watchdog over its decision to fine the firms £70m for hiking the price of a life-saving epilepsy drug. Pharma giant Pfizer and privately-owned neuroscience specialist Flynn are appealing the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA’s) £70m fine, after the two firms previously forced the [...]
Aviva and Hargreaves Lansdown call on regulators to prioritise net-zero October 27, 2022 A group of top finance firms including Hargreaves Lansdown and Aviva Investors have called on financial watchdogs make net-zero a central objective if the UK is to avert the worst economic damage of climate change.
CMA gives London Stock Exchange green light on Quantile takeover October 26, 2022 The competition watchdog has given the greenlight to London Stock Exchange Group's takeover of compression firm Quantile today after an in-depth investigation did not raise “substantial competition concerns”.
Govt drags feet with new digital markets bill October 25, 2022 A new report by MPs on the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee has called on the Government to push forward with a draft Digital Markets Bill that would allow regulators to take a more proactive approach to curbing big tech dominance. The bill would enshrine the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) Digital Markets Unit (DMU) [...]
Meta will be forced to sell Giphy as the CMA falls for the dangerous myth of ‘big is bad’ October 25, 2022 . Regulators around the world are intent on breaking up the largest tech companies, and now they have a model that works — even if it's dangerously detached from reality.