Which authority is responsible for regulating competition in the UK?

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is the principal organization responsible for regulating competition in the UK. Established in 2014, the CMA focuses on promoting competition for the benefit of consumers, ensuring that businesses operate fairly and do not engage in anti-competitive practices. It has the authority to conduct investigations into mergers, scrutinize market behaviors, and enforce competition law, ensuring that no company engages in practices that could distort genuine competitive conditions.

The CMA not only oversees the enforcement of competition laws but also undertakes market studies to identify any potential issues impacting consumers. By doing so, it plays a crucial role in fostering a competitive marketplace that ultimately benefits consumers through better prices and choices.

Other authorities, like the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), focus more on regulating financial service firms, and the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) was absorbed into the CMA, meaning it no longer has active regulatory power. The Department for Business and Trade supports with policy-making and broader business regulations, but its role is not as focused on competition enforcement as that of the CMA.