Power to the people: smarter regulation for better competition

Regulation, designed well, sets standards to ensure workers are not exploited, consumers have access to safe products at a fair price, and our environment is preserved. However, when these rules are not adequately enforced or they become unnecessarily burdensome, competition is undermined, consumers lose out, and faith in market regulators and ultimately the market system, is diminished.

With citizens facing a cost-of-living crisis, underscored by inflation at a multi-decade high, enforcing the highest standards of competition, making markets work for everyone, and finding opportunities to streamline existing rules, are more important than ever. So too is finding opportunities to modernise and reform how enforcement is carried out, to meet contemporary challenges – fostering innovation in digital markets, using data and technology to resolve competition cases as quickly as possible, and considering how mergers can best support industry and innovation, within a context of robust competition.

Reform is delighted to host this roundtable, led by John Penrose MP for Weston-super-Mare and author of 'The Penrose Review', and Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive Officer of the Competition and Markets Authority. This event will discuss the future of competition policy, including how to design smart regulation that prioritises consumers, whilst establishing the UK as one of the best places to start and grow a business.

This event will be held under the Chatham House rule.