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UK: Top model agencies accused of price fixing by watchdog

 |  May 26, 2016

The UK’s five top model agencies have been accused of collusion and price fixing by the Competition and Markets Authority.

It follows a series of raids at the agencies’ offices in London last August.

The five: FM Models, Models 1, Premier, Storm and Viva, agreed “a common approach to pricing”, the CMA said.

None of the agencies has so far responded to the accusations, which at this stage are provisional findings.

FM Models is no longer in business, having gone into liquidation in January this year.

The CMA said it would consider representations from the agencies before deciding whether the law had been broken. The Association of Model Agents – the industry trade body – is also accused of playing a central role in the price fixing allegations.

The CMA said it circulated emails to its members, encouraging agencies to negotiate higher fees.

Full Content: BBC

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