The Changing Landscape Of Antitrust Scrutiny In A Post-Pandemic World

Businesses are witnessing a surge in competition and antitrust scrutiny by different national and interna­tional authorities.

While regulatory investigations slowed down consid­erably during the pandemic, they have since picked up pace. Regulators in the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe are expanding the size and scope of their investigations, taking a more proactive approach to merger control and competitive interven­tion. Industries and deals that historically faced little scrutiny, as well as emergent areas, are now seeing enhanced regulator focus. Regulator demands have also widened; companies are often asked to analyze vast amounts of data and provide accurate responses in a timely manner, failing which they face monetary or civil penalties.