CMA closes three of four probes on hand sanitiser pricing

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it has decided to close three of its investigations over suspected excessive and unfair pricing of hand sanitiser products during COVID-19 pandemic.

The regulator said the retailers’ prices in these cases do not, or are unlikely to, infringe competition law.

The CMA has opened investigations against four unnamed convenience stores and pharmacies last month. The fourth investigation is ongoing, the agency added.

While there were no grounds for action in one case with the review of evidence not suggesting excessive pricing, the CMA closed two other cases on its Prioritisation Principles, considering limited consumer benefits from the investigation.

“The decision to close the two cases does not amount to a definitive statement or finding as to whether the respective parties to the investigations have infringed competition law, nor should any inference be made to that effect,” it added in the closure statement.

With respect to the fourth case, the agency reiterated that it has not reached a view on whether there is sufficient evidence of an infringement of competition law for it to issue a statement of objections to the party under investigation.