Consumer group Which? is to sue JJB Sports on behalf of football fans who were the victims of a price fixing cartel. This is the first action of this type in the UK for a cartel infringement.
JJB Sports, along with six other companies, were found to have fixed the price of England and Manchester United replica shirts (and overcharged fans in the process) during 2000 and 2001. Whilst JJB has already paid a fine of £6.7 million to the authorities for its role in the cartel, it may now also have to pay damages to the fans who lost out. JJB had recently finally exhausted their legal options after the House of Lords declined to allow a further appeal.
The action will be raised by Which? (on a no win, no fee basis!) acting on behalf of the consumers affected by the "rip off price cartel". Whilst it would not be practical for each fan to raise individual proceedings against JJB for the amount they were overcharged, the Enterprise Act 2002 gives Which? the power to raise proceedings for
