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OFT Annual Plan 2008-09

10 April 2008

The OFT has published its Annual Plan which sets out its priorities for the next three years.

Assessing its achievements of the past year, the OFT notes that it has focused on cases that have produced “high impact” outcomes, citing its action against British Airways for fuel surcharge price-fixing and against supermarkets/dairy processors for fixing retail prices of dairy products. Continuing to deliver these high impact outcomes for consumers will be one of the OFT’s priorities for the next three years.

In particular, the OFT states that it will continue to “root out” hard core cartel activity across the whole economy, using its criminal powers were appropriate. It will also continue to challenge misuse of market power. Working towards high impact outcomes across the whole economy marks a change of emphasis for the OFT, which had previously focused on competition issues in particular sectors, such as construction and pharmaceutical.

The OFT also confirmed that it would continue to provide informal guidance in merger cases, where this would add value.

Philip Collins, OFT Chairman, said “Last year the OFT made a commitment to deliver high impact outcomes that would provide real and significant benefits to consumers. In the coming year we will continue to build on this commitment, working closely with our partners and stakeholders, focusing our resources on effective project delivery and carrying out evaluation of our work with the aim of delivering benefits for consumers in the most effective and efficient way whilst avoiding unnecessary burdens on business.”

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