The UK's competition watchdog has scrapped 23 outdated restrictions in a move to cut red tape for thousands of businesses across a range of sectors.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the move will sweep away requirements that are no longer fit for purpose and place an unnecessary burden on businesses.
Restrictions removed
Among those being axed is an order that barred travel agents from bundling travel insurance with the sale of foreign package holidays, as well as one that stopped the BBC from promoting its own magazines on air.
Further restrictions being removed relate to the supply of fizzy drinks and ice cream, access to local bus stations, and extended warranties on electrical goods.
The regulator has also opted to partially lift two restrictions concerning home credit and certain soft drinks.
Review findings
The CMA launched a review in January of 33 so-called "remedies" to competition concerns that had been introduced between 1987 and 2017.
While 23 have been abolished outright and two partially removed, six will remain in place.
A further two, relating to retail banking and private motor insurance, are still under consideration by the CMA.
Broader commitment
The watchdog said its final ruling forms part of its broader commitment to ensuring that market remedies continue to tackle the competition concerns they were originally designed to address, while eliminating those that have since become redundant.
When the provisional decision was announced last summer, Juliette Enser, executive director of enforcement and markets at the CMA, stated that scrapping redundant measures would "help reduce the burden on businesses and allow the CMA to focus on the protections that matter most".
"Strong competition is key to helping people get more choice and better deals – and that remains central to our decision-making," she added.
