Recommendation 2

Mr Gurr acknowledged that there is scope for the CMA to do more to protect consumers and that the demand is there. However, he told us that the CMA has already started using its new powers. This includes sanctioning eight companies and providing advice to 100 others, across 14 sectors of the economy, as well as issuing fines worth £130 million, which he categorised as “not light touch”. He suggested that the CMA had started by seeking voluntary undertakings since they were quicker to issue and that if businesses did not comply with them then it would escalate and issue binding orders. We expect to see the CMA use its powers as often and robustly as possible to protect consumers. (Conclusion, Paragraph 25)