JD Sports, Elite Sports and Rangers FC have been fined more than £2milllion by the competition watchdog after it found they fixed prices of replica football kits.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said Elite Sports and JD Sports broke the law by fixing retail prices of Rangers kits and other clothes from September 2018 to July 2019.
It said Rangers ‘took part in the collusion’ only by fixing the price of adult home short-sleeved shirts from September to mid-November in 2018.
Replicas: Elite made Rangers clothing, such as that worn by ex-player Jermain Defoe (pictured)
JD Sports has been fined £1.485million, Elite Sports £459,000 and Rangers £225,000. The probe started in December 2020.
Elite made Rangers clothing, such as that worn by ex-player Jermain Defoe and sold it. JD was the only major retailer selling it at the time.
The CMA found Rangers became concerned that, at the start of the 2018-19 season, JD was selling the top at a lower price than Elite.
This resulted in an agreement that JD would lift its price from £55 to £60 to be in line with Elite.
It also found Elite and JD fixed prices of Rangers clothing over a longer period. JD Sports said it will not appeal and had set aside £2million to cover the matter.
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