CMA news and archive

New UK legislation puts fashion’s green claims under scrutiny

As of April 6th, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has been granted significantly enhanced enforcement powers under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Act. This sweeping legislation represents a crucial shift in consumer protection, equipping the CMA with the ability to impose direct and severe penalties on...

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Former Amazon executive to head UK's competition watchdog

The British government has decided to appoint a former Amazon boss as chair of the competition regulator CMA, an announcement that comes as US President Donald Trump has vowed to defend its tech giants abroad. Doug Gurr, president of Amazon China between 2014 and 2016 and then director of the group in the UK until 2020, "has been appointed...

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17 Brands advised to review practices as CMA outlines compliance guidelines

17 well-known fashion brands have been advised by the Competition Markets Authority (CMA) to review business practices in regards to their green claims. The move has led the UK watchdog to issue a compliance guide based on its already existing Green Claims Code, with it hoping that these further tips can help in levelling the playing field and...

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Asos, Boohoo and Asda promise “landmark changes” following CMA greenwashing probe

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has reported that fashion e-tailers Asos and Boohoo, along with supermarket clothing brand George at Asda, have signed formal agreements to use “only accurate and clear green claims” moving forward as it cracks down on “greenwashing” in the sector. The move follows the CMA launching a greenwashing...

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CMA rules JD and Leicester City FC broke competition rules

Following a lengthy investigation into the duo’s operations, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has officially found JD Sports and its partner Leicester City Football Club Limited guilty of breaking competition law. The decision comes in regards to allegations that the two companies colluded to restrict competition in the sale of...

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CMA: JD Sports broke competition laws with Leicester City FC

JD Sport has found itself in the crosshairs of the UK’s competition watchdog once again for breaking competition laws alongside football club Leicester City FC. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said Wednesday it has provisionally found that JD Sports and Leicester City FC “colluded to restrict competition in the sales of Leicester...

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UK targets big tech to boost online consumer rights

Global tech giants could face fines of up to 10 percent of their annual turnover if a British government bill to protect consumers launched on Tuesday becomes law. The bill aims to strengthen competition in digital markets and crack down on subscription traps as well as prevent online scams such as fake reviews. It envisages giving the...

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CMA interview: Fashion's tricky issue of greenwashing and how the UK is fighting it

Greenwashing in fashion is one of the industry’s hottest topics at the moment as vague claims like “sustainable”, “green”, “eco”, and “environmentally friendly” are facing mounting scrutiny from shoppers seeking more transparent ways to buy more responsibly. As consumer demand for less environmentally damaging clothing has grown, so too has...

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CMA urges UK shoppers to report online rip-offs

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is promoting the next step of its ‘Online Rip-Off Tip-Off’ campaign, by educating consumers on misleading online sale tactics and encouraging them to report businesses who make use of them. The campaign is led by Martin Lewis Money Show co-presenter Angellica Bell and enables consumers to tip off...

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UK watchdog launches investigation into Richemont's sale of YNAP to Farfetch

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched a probe into Richemont’s sale of e-commerce businesses Yoox Net-a-Porter (YNAP) to Farfetch, and if they may pose unfair competition. The CMA has invited comments on the transaction from any interested party, as it takes a deep dive into the merger situations, which is regulated by the...

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Meta ordered to offload Giphy by competition watchdog

Meta has been ordered to offload its Giphy business by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). In a ruling the CMA said takeover of the gif-creation website could harm social media users and advertising competition. It is the first time an acquisition of a tech giant was blocked in the UK. In 2020 Meta acquired Giphy, the largest...

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Asos 'quietly' removed sustainable fashion edit ahead of greenwashing investigation

Asos is said to have “quietly” removed its sustainable fashion collection from its website weeks before a UK watchdog launched an investigation into potential greenwashing by the brand. The retailer’s ‘Responsible Edit’ was launched in 2019 as a “one-stop-shop” for sustainable clothing and coincided with a filter that allowed shoppers to search...