The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has confirmed its role as a 'prescribed person', offering potential whistleblowing protection to individuals who report suspected breaches of competition or consumer protection law by their current or former employers.
Individuals can contact the CMA online, by phone, or email to report concerns. The authority states it will handle information sensitively to protect the whistleblower's identity. Whistleblowers do not need to be certain the behaviour is illegal, only to report what they know.
Under whistleblowing law, workers who make such reports may qualify for legal protection, meaning they should not face negative treatment or job loss for speaking out. Non-disclosure agreements cannot prevent a whistleblowing report to the CMA.
The CMA can investigate issues such as businesses agreeing prices, sharing confidential information, abusing a dominant market position, or failing to follow legal requirements. However, it does not handle individual consumer complaints, general fraud, personal employment issues, or product safety matters.