A PYMNTS Company

UK: Fender fined for concealing documents in antitrust investigation

 |  March 26, 2019

Guitar supplier Fender Europe has been fined £25,000 by the CMA for hiding relevant documents during an inspection of its UK headquarters.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) issued the fine against Fender Europe after discovering a senior officer had concealed notebooks during an inspection at its offices in East Grinstead, West Sussex, as part of a competition law investigation.

    Get the Full Story

    Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.

    yesSubscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today.

    By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

    When deciding on the level of the fine, the CMA took into account that Fender Europe had come forward and handed over the notebooks, just over three weeks after the inspection had taken place.

    Ann Pope, the CMA’s Senior Director of Antitrust, said “This fine sends a very clear signal to companies that they need to comply fully with their legal obligations when the CMA conducts investigations. Hiding documents is a serious matter and the decision to issue Fender Europe with a fine reflects this.”

    Full Content: Gov UK

    Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.