Tag: Europe

Postcomm, the postal regulator, has threatened to fine Royal Mail if it continues to use anti-competitive practices to keep rivals out of the UK postal market. Royal Mail yesterday agreed to rein in its marketing activities staff after Postcomm found discounts offered to magazine and catalogue companies had contravened competition rules. At the end of 2003, AMP, a rival postal company, complained that Royal Mail was trying to poach business customers through the use of special offers. AMP, which specialises in delivering magazines and catalogues, alleged that Royal Mail had offered discounts to companies in these sectors in an effort to drive it out of business. Following a long investigation, Postcomm said that Royal Mail had contravened two conditions in its licence designed to facilitate competition, as any discounts should be offered equally to all customers. Royal Mail said it had not realised at the time the discounts were anti-competitive, and that they were no longer on offer.