UK: Competition watchdogs issue coronavirus guidance

UK: Competition watchdogs issue coronavirus guidance

Competition watchdogs in Ireland and the UK have issued guidance to consumers and businesses on the impact of coronavirus.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has published a guide to consumer rights which sets out information about holidays, travel insurance, health insurance and online shopping.

Meanwhile, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the UK has warned traders that if they exploit the coronavirus outbreak to take advantage of consumers they will face enforcement action.

The CMA will consider any evidence that companies may have broken competition or consumer protection law, for example by charging excessive prices or making misleading claims about the efficacy of protective equipment, and will take direct enforcement action in appropriate cases.

In addition, the CMA will assess whether it should advise the UK government to consider taking direct action to regulate prices.

Retail giant Amazon last week banned more than a million products which claimed to protect against the virus or cure it.

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