Competition Act 1998 cases in the sectors regulated by UKCN members

The UKCN is a forum of the Competition and Markets Authority ( CMA ) and the 8 UK regulators that have powers to apply competition law in their sectors concurrently with the CMA . This page provides details of public cases which are currently being, or have been, undertaken in the regulated sectors by UKCN members under the Competition Act 1998 since 2014. Airports Conduct in the transport sector (facilities at airports) Summary The Competition and Markets Authority ( CMA ) investigated suspected breaches of competition law in respect of facilities at airports. The investigation was under Chapter I of CA98. Opened in December 2017 and closed in November 2018. Outcome Infringement decision in relation to Chapter I. Airport operation services Summary The Civil Aviation Authority ( CAA ) investigated alleged price fixing and suspected abuse of a dominant position in relation to access to certain facilities at an airport under Chapter I and Chapter II of CA98. Opened in March 2015 and closed in January 2017. Outcome Infringement decision in relation to Chapter I Chapter II closed on administrative priority grounds Communications Freelance and employed labour in the production, creation and/or broadcasting of television content, excluding sport Summary The CMA investigated suspected breaches of competition law in relation to the purchase of freelance services and the employment of staff supporting the production, creation and/or broadcasting of television content in the UK, excluding sport content. Opened in October 2023. Outcome Closed on administrative priority grounds. Purchase of freelance services in the production and broadcasting of sports content Summary The CMA investigated suspected breaches of competition law in relation to the purchase of freelance services in the production and broadcasting of sports content in the UK. Opened in July 2022 and closed in 21 March 2025. Outcome Infringement decision in relation to Chapter I CA98. The provision of equipment and related services in the electronic communication sector Summary Ofcom investigated whether competitors in the provision of equipment and related services in the electronic communications sector in the UK infringed competition law through the potential sharing of commercially sensitive information, including information on future pricing. Opened in June 2019 and closed in December 2022. Outcome Infringement decision in relation to Chapter I CA98. Parcel delivery and pick-up services Summary Ofcom investigated suspected agreements which establish minimum prices and impose online sales restrictions between providers of parcel delivery and pick-up services in the UK under Chapter I of CA98 and Article 101 TFEU. Opened in November 2019 and closed in January 2021. Outcome Closed on administrative priority grounds. Parcel delivery Summary Ofcom investigated suspected market sharing and/or customer allocation arrangements between operators in the business parcel delivery sector. Opened in August 2018 and closed in November 2019. Outcome Infringement decision in relation to Chapter I CA98 and Article 101 TFEU. FA Premier League TV rights (Virgin Media complaint) Summary Ofcom investigated certain arrangements in relation to the sale of live TV rights to Premier League matches under Chapter I of CA98. Opened in November 2014 and closed in August 2016. Outcome Closed on administrative priority grounds. Royal Mail (TNT complaint) Summary Ofcom investigated certain prices, terms and conditions offered by Royal Mail for access to certain letter delivery services under Chapter II of CA98. Opened in February 2014 and closed in August 2018. Outcome Infringement decision in relation to Chapter II CA98 and Article 102 TFEU. Wholesale supply of Sky Sports (BT complaint) Summary Ofcom investigated the alleged abuse of a dominant position by British Sky Broadcasting regarding the wholesale supply of Sky Sports 1 and 2 under Chapter II of CA98. Opened in June 2013 and closed in February 2016. Outcome Closed on administrative priority grounds. BT superfast broadband (Talk Talk complaint) Summary Ofcom investigated an alleged margin squeeze in superfast broadband pricing by BT Group under Chapter II of CA98. Opened in May 2013 and closed in October 2014. Outcome No grounds for action. Energy Investigation into a suspected abuse of a dominant position Summary Ofgem investigated whether the SGN Group had infringed Chapter II of the Competition Act 1998 in relation to connections to its gas distribution network. Opened in March 2024 and closed in December 2025. Opened in March 2024 and closed in December 2025. Outcome Commitments accepted. Supply of electric vehicle charge points on or near motorways Summary The CMA investigated suspected breaches of competition law in respect of the supply of electric vehicle chargepoints on or near motorways. Opened in July 2021 and closed in March 2022. Outcome Commitments accepted. Wholesale trading activities Summary Ofgem investigated whether there had been an infringement of Chapter II of the Competition Act 1998. Opened in December 2018 and closed in June 2019. Outcome Commitments accepted. Services in the energy industry Summary Ofgem investigated whether PayPoint plc has infringed the requirements of Chapter II of the Competition Act 1998 and/or Article 102 Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union by abusing a dominant position in the market for the provision of over-the-counter top-up services to prepayment energy customers. Opened in August 2017 and closed in August 2021. Outcome Commitments accepted. The supply of gas and electricity to domestic customers in Great Britain Summary Ofgem investigated whether there had been an infringement of Chapter I of the Competition Act 1998 in relation to the supply of gas and electricity to domestic customers in Great Britain. Opened in September 2016 and closed in May 2019. Outcome Infringement decision in relation to Chapter I CA98. Commission rates Summary Ofgem investigated whether two or more parties had shared information on the commission rates charged to energy suppliers. Opened in January 2015 and closed in March 2016. Outcome Closed, open letter issued. Energy price comparison websites Summary Ofgem investigated 2 or more companies providing a supporting service for the energy industry under Chapter I of CA98. (This case was transferred to the CMA in June 2016.) Opened in October 2015 and closed in October 2016. Outcome Closed on administrative priority grounds. Energy connections – SSE Summary Ofgem investigated whether SSE abused a dominant position and put its competitors at a disadvantage in the electricity connections market, under Chapter II of CA98. Opened in December 2014 and closed in November 2016. Outcome Commitments accepted. Financial services Case in the financial services sector Summary The FCA is investigating suspected anti-competitive conduct under Chapter I of the Competition Act 1998. Opened in March 2026. Case in the financial services sector Summary The FCA is investigating suspected anti-competitive conduct under Chapter I of the Competition Act 1998. Opened in March 2026. Case in the financial services sector Summary The FCA is investigating suspected anti-competitive conduct under Chapter II of the Competition Act 1998. Opened in March 2026. Case in the financial services sector Summary The FCA is investigating suspected anti-competitive conduct under Chapter II of the Competition Act 1998. Opened in March 2026. Case in the financial services sector Summary The FCA is investigating suspected anti-competitive conduct under Chapter I of the Competition Act 1998. Opened in April 2024. Case in the financial services sector Summary The FCA is investigating suspected anti-competitive conduct under Chapter II of the Competition Act 1998. Opened in June 2023. Case in the financial services sector Summary The FCA is investigating suspected anti-competitive conduct under Chapter I of the Competition Act 1998. Opened in May 2023. Case in the financial services sector Summary The Financial Conduct Authority ( FCA ) investigated suspected anti-competitive conduct under Chapter II of the Competition Act 1998. Opened in November 2022 and closed in May 2024. Outcome Closed on administrative priority grounds. Money transfer services Summary The FCA investigated an anti-competitive agreement and/or concerted practice concerning the supply of money transfer services in Glasgow. Opened in September 2020 and closed in November 2023. Outcome Infringement decision in relation to Chapter I CA98. Case in the financial services sector Summary The CMA investigated suspected anti-competitive arrangements in the financial services sector which may infringe the Chapter I prohibition of the Competition Act 1998. Opened in November 2018 and closed in February 2025. Outcome Infringement decisions in relation to Chapter I CA98. Case in the financial services sector Summary The FCA investigated suspected anti-competitive arrangements under Chapter I of the Competition Act 1998. Opened in August 2021 and closed in March 2022. Outcome Closed on administrative priority grounds. Case in the financial services sector Summary The FCA investigated suspected anti-competitive arrangements under Chapter I of the Competition Act 1998 and Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Opened in March 2019 and closed in December 2020. Outcome Closed on administrative priority grounds. Aviation Insurance Summary The FCA investigated the exchange of competitively sensitive information amongst aviation insurance brokers. Opened in April 2017 and closed in October 2017. Outcome The investigation was closed as the European Commission took the matter over. Asset Management Summary The FCA investigated anti-competitive agreements and concerted practices concerning the sharing of information in the asset management sector. Opened in June 2016 and closed in February 2019. Outcome Infringement decision in relation to Chapter I CA98 and Article 101 TFEU. Payment services Anticompetitive conduct in the pre-paid card services sector Summary The Payment Systems Regulator ( PSR ) investigated anticompetitive conduct in the prepaid cards market, finding 5 parties had infringed the Chapter I prohibition. Opened in the calendar year 2017 to 2018 and closed in 18 January 2022. Outcome Infringement of Chapter I prohibition. Rail Railway Assessment Centre Forum (RACF) Summary The Office of Rail and Road ( ORR ) investigated the provision of certain training services in the passenger rail transport sector. Opened in March 2021 and closed in 4 April 2022. Outcome Commitments accepted. Rail freight Summary The Office of Rail and Road investigated the prices, terms and conditions in certain agreements in the carriage of freight by rail sector under Chapter II of CA98. Opened in November 2013 and closed in December 2015. Outcome Commitments accepted. Water Thames Water Summary Ofwat investigated allegations of an abuse of a dominant position by Thames Water Utilities under Chapter II CA98 Thames Water Utilities under Chapter II CA98. Opened in June 2019 and closed in March 2022. Outcome Commitments accepted. Bristol Water Summary Ofwat investigated pricing and terms by Bristol Water in relation to self-lay connection providers under Chapter II of CA98. Opened in March 2013 and closed in March 2015. Outcome Commitments accepted. Anglian Water (Fairfields) Summary Ofwat investigated whether Anglian Water’s pricing conduct at the ‘Fairfield’ development in Milton Keynes caused margin squeeze under Chapter II of CA98. Opened in December 2011 and closed in December 2015. Outcome No grounds for action decision. Digital markets Google: Distribution of apps Summary The CMA investigated Google’s conduct in relation to Google’s distribution of apps on Android devices in the UK, in particular Google Play’s rules which oblige certain app developers to use Google Play’s own billing system for in-app purchases. Opened in June 2022 and closed in 21 August 2024. Outcome Closed on administrative priority grounds. Amazon Marketplace Summary The CMA has accepted commitments offered by Amazon that address the CMA ’s competition concerns in relation to how Amazon uses third-party seller data, how Amazon selects which product offer is placed within the ‘Buy Box’ and the negotiation of delivery rates for Prime orders. Opened in July 2022 and closed in November 2023. Outcome Commitments accepted. Advertising technology intermediation services Summary The CMA is investigating whether Google might have abused a dominant position through its conduct in ad tech. In March 2023, this investigation was combined with the CMA ’s separate investigation into whether Google has abused a dominant position through its conduct in relation to header bidding services. Opened in May 2022. Header bidding services market Summary The CMA investigated whether Google and Meta entered into an anti-competitive agreement, and whether Google might have abused a dominant position through its conduct in relation to header bidding services. Opened in March 2022 and closed in March 2023. Outcome The CMA decided on administrative priorities grounds to close its investigation under Chapter I of the Competition Act 1998. As a result, the CMA is no longer investigating Meta in this case. The CMA is continuing to investigate whether Google has abused a dominant position through its conduct in relation to header bidding services under Chapter II of the Competition Act 1998. That investigation includes whether Google has abused a dominant position through its agreement with Meta. The CMA combined the remaining part of this investigation concerning whether Google’s conduct in relation to header bidding services was an abuse of a dominant position with its investigation into Google’s conduct in adtech. Apple AppStore Summary The CMA investigated Apple’s conduct in relation to the distribution of apps on iOS and iPadOS devices in the UK, in particular, the terms and conditions governing app developers’ access to Apple’s App Store. Opened in March 2021 and closed in 21 August 2024. Outcome Closed on administrative priority grounds. Investigation into Meta’s collection and use of advertising and single sign-on data Summary The CMA has accepted commitments that address the CMA ’s competition concerns regarding Meta’s use of data obtained through digital display advertising. Opened in June 2021 and closed in November 2023. Outcome Commitments accepted.