Deliveroo launches free delivery offer for Amazon Prime members September 15, 2021 Amazon Prime members in the UK and Ireland will be able to get free unlimited delivery through a fresh partnership with delivery platform Deliveroo. All new and existing members of the online retailer’s speedy service will now be able to access a year’s Deliveroo Plus membership for free. Customers can use the offer on orders [...]
National Express and Stagecoach announce merger, creating £1.9bn company December 14, 2021 Coach giant National Express and rival Stagecoach have announced they will merge by late 2022, reaching an agreement after months of talks. Following the announcement, shares for both Stagecoach and National Express surged, going up 12 and 2.98 per cent respectively. The new company – which will have a fleet of around 40,000 vehicles and [...]
Homeowners could still sue for damages amid leasehold ground rent reforms June 24, 2021 Even though Persimmon Homes and Aviva have agreed to change the way they operate in regard to leaseholds and ground rent charges, homeowners could still be entitled to compensation, according to legal experts. Following a recent investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), house builder Persimmon will allow its leaseholders to buy the freehold [...]
West Coast Rail franchise: CMA accepts First Group price cap proposal December 6, 2019 The competition watchdog has accepted First Group’s remedies for competition problems on the West Coast Rail franchise. The deal ensures First Group and Trenitalia can run the franchise after the watchdog initially barred the government’s contract award to them over concerns about price hikes. Read more: CMA flags competition concerns on West Coast Rail routes [...]
Government report calls for regulations bonfire to give UK a ‘post-Brexit dividend’ February 16, 2021 The UK should slash regulation and overhaul the competitions authority to give the economy a post-Brexit boost, according to a report commissioned by the government. The report, written by Tory MP John Penrose, calls for the government to create a “Brexit dividend” by “replacing bureaucratic EU rules with modern, digital equivalents”. Penrose’s report, commissioned by [...]
Ryanair to refund passengers after public mishaps October 28, 2021 Ryanair has announced it will start refunding customers of cancelled flights within five working days. Part of a company campaign to improve its image, the measure was set after the Dublin-based carrier held its first customer panel meeting in September, when customers all over Europe met with senior management to provide recommendations on customer service. [...]
Viagogo forced to break up Stubhub after $4bn takeover February 2, 2021 Viagogo must sell all of Stubhub’s operations outside the US to satisfy competition concerns over its $4bn (£2.9bn) takeover, regulators said today. A probe by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found that the deal would lead to a substantial reduction in competition in the secondary ticketing market and potentially result in higher fees or [...]
UK launches new competition watchdog for Big Tech crackdown April 7, 2021 Tech giants such as Facebook and Google are facing a tougher regulatory regime in the UK after a new watchdog aimed at curbing their power launched today. The Digital Markets Unit (DMU) will be charged with setting up new rules to give consumers more control over their data, promote online competition and crack down on [...]
Issa brothers offer to sell 27 petrol stations to resolve Asda takeover competition dispute May 5, 2021 The Issa brothers, the billionaire businessmen who recently bought Asda, have agreed to sell 27 of their EG Group petrol stations to resolve a competition dispute related to the takeover. Last month the Competition and Markets Authority launched an investigation into the Issa brothers and TDR Capital’s takeover of the supermarket, saying the deal raises [...]
Tory peer Lord Marland ‘in the running’ to chair competition watchdog March 29, 2021 Tory grandee Lord Marland is said to be in the running to become the next chairman of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in what could be the latest political appointment by Boris Johnson. Lord Marland, a former Conservative minister, is one of several names being circulated at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial [...]