Domestic Lighting: anti-competitive practices concerning resale price maintenance

The CMA has found anti-competitive practices which infringed Chapter I CA98 relating to the supply of domestic lighting products by Dar Lighting Limited (Company Number 05270864) which infringe Chapter I CA98.

From:
Competition and Markets Authority
Published
26 November 2020
Last updated
21 June 2022 — See all updates
Case type:
CA98 and civil cartels
Case state:
Closed
Market sector:
Retail and wholesale
Outcome:
CA98 - infringement Chapter I
Opened:
25 November 2020
Closed:
23 March 2022

Case timetable

Date Action
21 June 2022 Non-confidential version of the infringement decision published
23 March 2022 Infringement decision issued to party and settlement announced
February 2022 Party offered to settle investigation with CMA
January 2022 to Q2 2022 Receipt and consideration of representations on the statement of objections
15 December 2021 Statement of objections issued
June 2021 to Q4 2021 Further investigation including information gathering. CMA analysis and review
June 2021 Decision taken to proceed with the investigation
November 2020 to May 2021 Initial investigation: information gathering, including issuing formal or informal information requests, receipt, review and analysis of parties’ responses
25 November 2020 Investigation opened

Non-confidential version of the infringement decision

21 June 2022: The CMA has published a non-confidential version of the decision in this case, in which Dar Lighting Limited (Dar) was fined £1.5 million for breaking competition law by engaging in resale price maintenance (RPM).

Read our short case study summarising the case on Dar Lighting fined £1.5 million for illegally preventing online price discounts.

Settlement and infringement decision

23 March 2022: The CMA has issued a decision finding that Dar Lighting Limited (Dar) infringed competition law by engaging in resale price maintenance (RPM). The CMA imposed a fine of £1.5 million. As the parent company of Dar for the relevant period, Castlegate 624 Limited is jointly and severally liable for Dar’s fine. The fine includes a 20% discount to reflect settlement. Under these procedures, a company admits acting illegally and co-operates in return for a reduced fine, which helps make the CMA’s investigation more efficient.

Statement of objections

15 December 2021: The CMA issued a statement of objections alleging that Dar Lighting Limited (Dar) has breached UK law by restricting retailers’ freedom to discount the online retail prices of domestic lighting products supplied by Dar.

Case information

On 25 November 2020, the CMA launched an investigation into suspected breaches of competition law in respect of the supply of domestic lighting products. The investigation relates to suspected resale price maintenance in the supply of domestic lighting products in the UK by Dar Lighting Limited.

Notes

  • The investigation is under Chapter I of the Competition Act 1998.

  • The CMA has not reached a view as to whether there is sufficient evidence of an infringement of competition law for it to issue a statement of objections to any party under investigation. Not all cases result in the CMA issuing a statement of objections.

  • Changes to the timing of original entries in the case timetable will be made where the estimated timing changes.

Personal data

The CMA may collect, use and share personal data for its investigations, including investigations under the Competition Act 1998. This includes processing personal data for the purposes of the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.

For more information about how the CMA handles personal information, please see the CMA’s Personal Information Charter.

Contacts

Assistant Project Director

Sophie Mitchell (020 3738 6905, sophie.mitchell@cma.gov.uk)

Project Director

Simon Nichols (020 3738 6368, simon.nichols@cma.gov.uk)

Senior Responsible Officer

Ann Pope (020 3738 6786, ann.pope@cma.gov.uk)

Anyone with information about suspected anti-competitive activity is encouraged to tell the CMA about a competition or market problem.

Updates to this page

Published 26 November 2020
Last updated 21 June 2022 + show all updates

  1. Non-confidential decision published.

  2. Settlement and infringement decision published.

  3. Statement of objections announced.

  4. Case timetable updated.

  5. Following technical difficulties with GOV.UK, the case page is now available.

  6. First published.

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