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OFT response to Business and Enterprise Committee report into pub companies

55/09    13 May 2009

Specific competition issues within the beer and pub sector have been examined in depth by the Competition Commission, the European Commission and the OFT over the years. Since then, the OFT has not received evidence that would lead it to believe that a wider investigation was warranted. It will now consider any new evidence in this report in detail, and looks forward to discussing the recommendations with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and other interested parties.

A key feature of the modern competition system is that designated bodies representing consumers can make a super-complaint to the OFT, asking it to look at a specific issue. The OFT welcomes reasoned super-complaints, supported by evidence wherever possible. If the OFT were to receive one in this case, it would consider the complaint very carefully and respond within 90 days.

NOTES

1. The BEC report into pub companies can be found at on the parliament website. 

2. The right to submit super-complaints was created by section 11 of the Enterprise Act 2002. A super-complaint is defined as a complaint submitted by a designated consumer body that 'any feature or combination of features, of a market in the United Kingdom for goods or services is or appears to be significantly harming the interests of consumers'. The Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform has designated that the following organisations can make a super-complaint to the OFT: The Campaign for Real Ale Limited (CAMRA), The Consumer Council for Water, Which?, The General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland, The National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux and The National Consumer Council (trading as Consumer Focus).

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