The Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) said that the investigation was “no longer an administrative priority”.
The CMA launched an investigation into suspected anti-competitive conduct in relation to the supply of chemical admixtures and additives for use in concrete, cement, mortars and related construction products in October 2023.
It said that it had “reasonable grounds for suspecting that certain suppliers of these chemicals and certain industry bodies had breached Chapter I of the Competition Act 1998”.
However, it has now decided to drop the investigation.
“This decision does not amount to a statement or finding as to whether the parties to the investigation have infringed competition law, nor should any inference be made to that effect,” it said.
Rather, the CMA said, it has to prioritise its resources.
“Following a period of evidence gathering and assessment, the CMA considered whether to continue with the investigation in light of its prioritisation principles. The prioritisation principles set out the factors that the CMA considers before deciding whether to take action. To make efficient and effective use of public resources, the CMA needs to ensure it takes appropriate decisions about which projects and programmes of work it prioritises (and continues to prioritise), to have the greatest impact across the breadth of its work.”
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