JD Sports has avoided a fine despite being found to have broken competition law with Leicester City football club, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) concluded yesterday.
In July, the CMA revealed the two companies had “colluded to restrict competition” in the sales of the football club’s clothing, including its replica kit.
At the time, the UK watchdog revealed it had fined Leicester City £880,000 after it confessed to limiting online sales of replica kits with the retail company.
Despite this, JD Sports escaped without a fine since it reported the matter to the the CMA.
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In August 2018, JD Sports agreed to stop selling Leicester City-branded clothing online for the 2018/19 season.
In January 2019, it also agreed that it would not undercut the football club online by making the club’s merchandise exempt from its free online delivery for all orders over £70 promotion.
The competition regulator explained the sports fashion retailer “reported the conduct to the CMA and benefits from immunity to any fine under the CMA’s Leniency programme”.
CMA executive director of enforcement Michael Grenfell said: “The fine that Leicester City FC and its parent companies have agreed to pay sends a clear message to them and other businesses that anti-competitive collusion will not be tolerated”.
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