Corporate report

Advisory letters issued by the CMA

Updated 7 March 2023

This register sets out summary details of advisory letters sent by the CMA.

Each entry for the year in question relates to a particular matter where the CMA has received a complaint or other intelligence about a business that may be breaking competition law. We sometimes send letters to multiple businesses about a single matter.

Individual case pages may record where an advisory letter has been sent in connection with a formal investigation.

At the end of each year we will provide an annual total of advisory letters sent that year. After 5 years, individual register entries will be removed from the register. Annual aggregate figures will remain.

The market sectors are based on those listed in the CMA’s case directory. As these are relatively broadly defined sectors, they may cover a number of different industries.

2022

Total sent in 2022: 218

Potential issue(s) Market sector
Chapter I – supplier seeking to restrict the level of discounts offered by online retailers of its products Light fittings

2021

Total sent in 2021: 38

Potential issue(s) Market sector
Chapter I – agreements or concerted practices among competing businesses relating to price Car parking
Chapter I – agreements or concerted practices among competing businesses relating to markets/customers served Safety clothing
Chapter I – agreements or concerted practices among competing businesses relating to markets/customers served Cleaning products
Chapter I – agreements or concerted practices among competing businesses relating to price Assistive goods and services
Chapter I and Chapter II – agreement or concerted practice restricting choice of supply Funeral related products
Chapter I – disclosure of confidential and commercially sensitive information, including pricing information, with one or more competing businesses Educational resources

2020

Total sent in 2020: 14

Potential issue(s) Market sector
Chapter I – supplier seeking to ensure that online retailers of its products adhere to its Recommended Retail Prices (RRPs) or risk being prevented from selling its products Bathroom supplies
Chapter I – supplier seeking to ensure that online retailers of its products adhere to its Recommended Retail Prices (RRPs) or risk being prevented from selling its products Animal food
Chapter I – disclosure and/or receipt of confidential and commercially sensitive information, including pricing information, with/from one or more competing businesses Arts and crafts
Chapter I – agreements or concerted practices among competing businesses to coordinate or fix prices Beauty services

2019

Total sent in 2019: 2

Potential issue(s) Market sector
Chapter I - suspected anti-competitive arrangements Healthcare sector

2018

Total sent in 2018: 22

Potential issue(s) Market sector
Chapter I – arrangements or concerted practices among competing local businesses relating to price Retail and wholesale – cosmetic products and treatments
Chapter I – resale price maintenance; supplier restricting the price at which its products are sold online by retailers through the potential threat of supply withdrawal Retail and wholesale - furniture
Chapter I – resale price maintenance; supplier restricting the price at which its products are sold online by retailers through the potential threat of supply withdrawal Retail and wholesale -sports and outdoor clothing and equipment
Chapter I – resale price maintenance; supplier restricting the price at which its products are sold online by retailers through the potential threat of supply withdrawal Retail and wholesale – adult healthcare
Chapter I – sharing of commercially sensitive information, including price information, with one or more competing businesses Retail and wholesale – agricultural machinery
Chapter II – excessive pricing (see case page) Retail and wholesale – pharmaceuticals
Chapter I – price co-ordination in respect to local minicab services Private hire vehicle service
Chapter I – arrangements between local retailers to limit the supply of and/or share the market in a product Confectionary retail

2017

Total sent in 2017: 42

2016

Total sent in 2016: 31

2015

Total sent in 2015: 13

2014

Total sent in 2014: 5