Don’t be an Out-law!

If the bathroom industry is to uphold a good reputation, we can’t ever risk falling foul of the competition law and coming under scrutiny by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) in the same way that 112 construction firms in England have recently for allegedly engaging in bid rigging and cover pricing activity.

Open and healthy competition is good both for consumers and for businesses. If firms compete on a level playing field, they will flourish. In turn, consumers are more likely to pay lower prices, get better quality and more choice. This is the premise on which competition law is based.

To help the bathroom industry stay on the right side of the law, the Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA) has put together a training module ‘Competition Law – The Basics’, which is available to everyone from the Bathroom Academy website www.bathroom-academy.co.uk.

This training module explains how anti-competitive behaviour, which may affect trade within the UK, is prohibited by the Competition Act 1998 and how UK and EC competition law prohibits two main types of anti-competitive activity, namely: anti-competitive agreements between businesses (Chapter I / Article 81 prohibition); and, businesses abusing their dominant market position (Chapter II / Article 82 prohibition).

Whatever the legal status, size and sector of a business, all firms need to be aware of competition law. Businesses must meet their competition law obligations and be able to assert their rights and protect their position in the market place.

Speaking about the Bathroom Academy’s training module, BMA Chief Executive Yvonne Orgill says: ‘I’d be horrified if any bathroom industry company was found to have fallen foul of the competition law. There are really no excuses. All you have to do is download it from the Bathroom Academy website and in just 45 minutes you’ll know all you need and at just £50 it’s a lot cheaper than paying 10 per cent of your global turnover in fines!

‘It would be a terrible shame if the bathroom industry’s reputation was tarnished with allegations of flouting the competition law, whether true or false allegations. It’s extremely unfortunate that construction firms are currently under such scrutiny. I only hope that the allegations are unfounded and I strongly urge everyone reading this to undertake our ‘Competition Law – The Basics’.’

Go to http://www.bathroom-academy.co.uk or call 01782 747 123