Competition Commission Probe Into Tesco

Later this week, the Competition Commission (formerly the Monopolies and Mergers Commission) is due to publish its initial findings in their initial investigation of the supermarket sector. They've looked at three key issues, all of which are of relevance to St. Albans residents, businesses and market stall holders include (from the "Issues Statement" found on this page of the Competition Commission website):

"The issues which appear to be most relevant to the decision as to whether any feature (or combination of features) of the market prevents, restricts or distorts competition fall into three broad categories:

(a) whether any aspect of the behaviour of grocery retailers towards their suppliers affects competition in any market;

(b) whether any aspect of the structure of any local market for groceries3, or any aspect of the conduct of grocery retailers or consumers in the market for groceries (or in any other market in which grocery retailers operate) affects competition in one or more local markets for groceries, or in any other product market; and

(c) whether the operation of the planning regime as it affects grocery retailing, or any conduct by grocery retailers, including any aspect of the acquisition, disposal, development or use of land, affects competition in any market."

You'll find more about the inquiry on the Groceries Market Inquiry pages of the Competition Commission website.