Leicester City and JD Sports probed by watchdog over merchandise
The Premier League’s Leicester City and retailer JD Sports are being investigated by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over suspected anti-competitive behaviour relating to merchandise.
The watchdog said in its case that it has “reasonable grounds to suspect one or more breaches of competition law” and that the CMA “has not yet reached a view as to whether there is sufficient evidence of an infringement of competition law”.
The investigation is related to suspected infringements relating to the sale of club branded merchandise in the UK.
The CMA added that “not all cases result in issuing a statement of objections or an infringement decision”.
The probe into the Premier League club, who tonight play Legia Warsaw in the Europa League, and JD Sports comes less than a year after an inquiry into merchandise price fixing of Rangers FC branded kits sold by JD.
A spokesman for Leicester City said: “Leicester City Football Club takes its obligations to comply with competition law very seriously and is fully cooperating with the Competition and Markets Authority in respect of the investigation announced this morning.”
“We shall be making no further statements regarding this investigation for time time being.”
“We are cooperating fully with the CMA’s investigation,” a spokesman for JD Sports said, “We have no further comment at this time.”
The investigation has taken place under section 25 of the Competition Act 1998 and will include affiliates of the football club and sports retailer.