UK Competition and Markets Authority News and Legal Updates
UK CMA proposes opening Apple iPhone NFC access to spur fintech competition
Britain’s competition regulator is consulting on measures that could widen access to Apple’s iPhone contactless technology for digital payments and other mobile services. The proposals target ...
Virgin Media O2 owners seek CMA review of £2bn Netomnia deal after BT-TalkTalk approval
UK broadband consolidation is prompting Virgin Media O2's shareholders to press for a fresh competition review of their proposed £2bn Netomnia acquisition. The request follows the government's ...
Apple faces UK tap-to-pay regulatory challenge
The UK competition regulator is preparing new steps that could weaken Apple Pay's hold over iPhone contactless payments in Britain. The planned measures would require Apple to let rival payment ...
UK cloud market faces further scrutiny as CMA flags switching barriers at AWS, Microsoft
Britain's cloud infrastructure market remains under regulatory scrutiny as competition concerns persist around how easily customers can move workloads between providers. The Competition and ...
UK regulator moves to designate Microsoft in business software market
Britain is tightening scrutiny of how major technology companies package and distribute workplace software under its newer digital competition regime. The proposed designation for Microsoft could ...
CMA fines UK retailers and gym operator for misleading sales tactics
UK consumer watchdog enforcement is intensifying as the Competition and Markets Authority uses newer powers to penalise businesses over pricing and sales practices. The regulator says three ...
UK heating oil market to face tighter regulation under consumer protection reforms
After sharp price swings and cancelled orders exposed gaps in oversight earlier this year, the UK government is planning reforms to bring the heating oil market under formal regulation for the ...
BT expands broadband lead with TalkTalk rescue deal in UK
UK broadband consolidation is colliding with a regulatory push for network competition as weaker fibre challengers come under financial strain. BT’s move to acquire TalkTalk’s operations ...
CMA reviews Macquarie remedy offer for EAG gas meter reading deal in Great Britain
Britain's competition regulator is moving to test whether proposed asset sales can preserve rivalry in non-domestic gas metering after Macquarie's agreed purchase of Energy Assets Group. The ...
Brink’s cash machine deal faces CMA remedy review in UK
UK competition regulators are assessing whether asset sales offered by Brink’s can resolve concerns tied to its acquisition of NCR Atleos. The proposed undertakings cover the disposal of ...
Sainsbury’s explored Morrisons merger as UK grocery consolidation pressures build
UK supermarket consolidation is back in focus after Sainsbury’s held talks with Morrisons over a potential multibillion-pound combination earlier this year. The discussions end without a deal, ...
UK government intervenes in BT Group acquisition of TalkTalk
The UK government is stepping into BT Group's planned acquisition of TalkTalk as concerns grow over the continuity of telecoms services used by households, businesses and public bodies. The ...
UK regulator flags Nexfibre-Netomnia deal as competition risk in broadband market
Britain's review of consolidation in fibre broadband is intensifying as Nexfibre's planned takeover of Netomnia faces provisional antitrust objections. The watchdog says the transaction could ...
BT explores TalkTalk takeover as UK antitrust review risk comes into focus
BT is assessing a possible bid for TalkTalk as the indebted broadband group seeks a buyer and alternative options remain under discussion. The move could reshape the UK telecoms market because BT ...
Thimar Development submits SAR 130 million rights issue application to Saudi CMA
Thimar Development Holding Co. is advancing a planned capital increase as it seeks to strengthen its financial growth strategy and support business operations. The company says the proposed ...
CMA proposes remedies package for Co-op Group Southern Co-op deal in southern England
UK competition regulators are moving to the remedies stage in Co-op Group's acquisition of Southern Co-op after identifying local overlap concerns in food retail and funeral services. The package ...
United Mining Industries advances Knauf tender offer after CMA approval
United Mining Industries is moving forward with Knauf International GmbH's planned tender offer for the remaining shares in the Saudi-listed company after a regulatory clearance in September 2026. ...
CMA backs competition enforcement reforms in UK consultation response
The UK competition regime is moving toward faster and more streamlined redress and appeals processes as regulators weigh changes to enforcement rules. The Competition and Markets Authority says ...
CMA fines M&J Group and staff over evidence concealment in bid-rigging probe
The UK competition watchdog is penalising a construction company and two employees after evidence was removed during an inspection tied to a wider procurement investigation. The sanctions are ...
UK CMA pledges predictable regulation to support investment and competition
Against a backdrop of geopolitical tension, AI-driven market change and a new UK prime minister, the UK competition regulator is setting out how it plans to give businesses greater certainty. CMA ...
CMA urges UK to use public procurement more strategically and tighten bid-rigging controls
Public procurement is becoming a central tool of UK economic policy as the government spends about £400 billion a year on goods, services and infrastructure from the private sector. The ...
