Aldi and Lidl could be banned from using ‘legal tricks’ to beat competition
Aldi and Lidl are currently exempt from competition laws introduced to restrict big supermarkets
‘Level playing field’ rules for supermarkets are set to be reviewed following claims that Aldi and Lidl have an unfair advantage over rivals.
The German discount giants are exempt from rules which stop supermarkets using ‘restrictive land’ legal clauses to block other grocery businesses opening stores nearby.
Before the rules were introduced in 2010, big supermarkets would often get developers who were building retail parks or shopping centres to agree that only they could sell groceries on the site for a certain number of years.
The ban currently applies to Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Asda, Co-op, Waitrose and M&S.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has taken action against all of those brands over more than 220 breaches between them in recent years.
Aldi and Lidl had a relatively small UK presence when the ban was introduced but have since leapfrogged rivals to become the fourth and sixth-biggest supermarket chains in the country respectively.
All the supermarkets covered by the ban have faced action for breaches (Picture: Getty)
But they’ve since been accused by rival supermarkets of using the same restrictive land clauses.
Last year, Iceland boss Richard Walker said they were ‘preventing competition on retail parks’ by using ‘legal tricks’.
‘The German-owned supermarkets were just a twinkling in the CMA’s eye when this order was first made,’ he said at the time.
According to The Telegraph, the CMA has told supermarket bosses it is reviewing the situation.
They are said to be considering including Aldi and Lidl in the ban, but may also weigh up removing it altogether.
The Labour government has pushed for regulators to cut red tape, telling the CMA in February to be ‘more agile’.
A spokesperson for the CMA said: ‘We are aware of concerns that the Order should cover more supermarkets, due to changes in the groceries sector, and we always keep this under review to ensure a level playing field.’
One factor to watch as rookie RJ Harvey jumps into crowded Broncos RB competition News Rookie minicamp is just one tiny step in a young NFL player’s career, but it’s a big moment, too. For the Broncos’ newest group of players, this weekend represents their first time on the field as professionals. It’s also the first chance to make a first, very early impression. Nearly…
Alejandro Garnacho could beat Cristiano Ronaldo record before end of season as star, 20, vows to stay at Man Utd Sports ALEJANDRO GARNACHO has vowed to stay at Manchester United and could now smash one of his idol Cristiano Ronaldo’s records. The Argentine brushed off comparisons with Ronaldo as he stands on the brink of surpassing one of the Portuguese superstar’s many feats. Reuters Alejandro Garnacho dismissed comparisons to Cristiano Ronaldo[/caption]…
Peter Andre finally responds to film backlash after using fake Jamaican accent and dreadlocks Entertainment To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page Peter Andre has finally addressed the controversy surrounding his new film Jafaican, which is set to launch at the Gold Coast Film Festival in Australia on Friday. Andre,…
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok
