10 construction firms fined £60m for ‘illegally colluding’ to rig contracts including for Selfridges and 135 Bishopsgate
The UK competition watchdog has fined 10 construction firms a total of almost £60 million for “illegally colluding” to rig bids for contracts.
The construction firms have been punished over cartel agreements related to 19 contracts worth over £150 million on both public and private sector contracts.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the bid rigging, which took place between 2013 and 2018, included contracts for the development of Bow Street Magistrates’ Court, 135 Bishopsgate and Police station and at Selfridges department store in London.
Three directors of firms involved in the cartel action have also been disqualified, the CMA said.
Michael Grenfell, the CMA’s executive director of enforcement, said: “The construction sector is key to our country’s prosperity, so we want to see a competitive marketplace delivering value, innovation, and quality.
“Today’s significant fines show that the CMA continues to crack down on illegal cartel behaviour.
“It should serve as a clear warning: the CMA will not tolerate unlawful conduct which weakens competition and keeps prices up at the expense of businesses and taxpayers.”
The CMA also said it had secured the disqualification of three directors, David Darsey (formerly a director of Erith) for a period of 5 years and 10 months from 2 February 2023, as week as Michael Cantillon (formerly a director of Cantillon) for 7 years and 6 months and Paul Cluskey (current director of Cantillon) for 4 years and 6 months.
The fines were as follows:
- Brown and Mason (£2,400,000)
- Cantillon (£1,920,000),
- Clifford Devlin (£423,615),
- DSM (£1,400,000),
- Erith (£17,568,800),
- JF Hunt (£5,600,000),
- Keltbray (£16,000,000),
- McGee (£3,766,278),
- Scudder (£8,256,264)
- Squibb (£2,000,000).
Press Association