Incoming CMA chair warns job cuts could make it harder to take on cases that protect consumers from high prices June 28, 2022 The competition watchdog’s ability to get the best deal for British consumers could be endangered by job cuts, the government’s chosen candidate for chair of the body has warned. The government intends to slash 91,000 civil service jobs over the next three years, in an endeavour to bring headcount back to 2016 levels. Ministers’ preferred [...]
‘Pump fiction’: AA lambasts petrol retailers for failing to bring down forecourt prices June 28, 2022 The AA has deemed fuel prices "pump fiction" as costs at forecourts continue to rise despite a slump in wholesale.
Heathrow ordered to lower passenger charges to less than £27 after bitter dispute with airlines June 28, 2022 The aviation watchdog ordered Heathrow Airport this morning to reduce its passenger charges amid a surge in demand for flights. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said the cap on the west London airport’s average charge per passenger will fall from £30.19 today to £26.31 in 2026. Adjusted for inflation, the fare will amount to £28.39 [...]
Here we go again: EU regulator investigates Google for Jobs antitrust complaint from Danish rival Jobindex June 27, 2022 Another day, another European crack down on Big Tech, after the Danish online job-search site Jobindex told regulators that Google unfairly favoured its own service, Google for Jobs.
Petrol prices spike to record highs despite falling wholesale costs for retailers June 27, 2022 Petrol prices broke records again this weekend, despite falling wholesale costs and a slump across the two major oil benchmarks.
CMA targets fashion industry over ‘greenwashing’ concerns June 27, 2022 The CMA is going after fashion brands responsible for “greenwashing” with a plan to “name and shame” the worst offenders. The fashion sector made up about a quarter of complaints received by the Competition and Markets Authority over false or misleading environmental claims, called greenwashing, according to research by law firm RPC. The CMA is, [...]
AA praises Asda for not surging petrol prices as diesel approaches dreaded £2 litre milestone June 24, 2022 Motoring group the AA has praised supermarket chain Asda for preventing further fuel surges, as the price of diesel moved within 0.2p of the dreaded £2-litre. The organisation’s fuel price report showed this morning that on average, big oil firms’ forecourt reached the milestone, but it could have been much worse. The AA said while [...]
Construction giants colluded to rig £150m of contracts including Selfridges and Oxford University, CMA rules June 24, 2022 A consortium of about 10 construction firms illegally colluded to rig bids for £150m of major contracts, according to provisional findings by the UK competition watchdog. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said eight of the firms involved in the cartels have admitted to taking part. The rigged contracts for demolition services included work for [...]
Fuel traders urged to take responsibility as wholesale price falls but petrol hits new record at pump June 23, 2022 Despite falling wholesale costs of petrol and diesel, prices are still going up at the pump as motoring groups call on fuel traders to offer consumers relief.
Brexit has damaged UK’s competitiveness, reduced productivity and lowered Brits’ real wages, LSE says June 22, 2022 A new bombshell study said this morning that Brexit has damaged Britain’s competitiveness, reducing productivity and lowering workers’ real wages in the years ahead. The report said Britain has experienced a decline of 8 per cent in trade openness – trade as a share of economic output – since 2019, losing market share across three [...]