Football replica kit 'price-fixing' in the UK

Posted 09/11/11

A subject that often rears it's head amongst consumers is the price of football kits. With the shirt alone costing upwards of £35, the view of many parents and fans is how has the price become so out of hand: with a suspicion that this may be sustained through nefarious practices. Present day it's impossible to know, but there has been a history of price fixing by retailers, clubs and manufacturers. In 2003, the BBC reported that the Office of Fair Trading had imposed fines - totaling in the millions - on JJB Sports, Man Utd, and Umbro. The BBC also reported in 2005, that these fines had been upheld by a Competition Appeal Tribunal. The investigation by the Office of Fair Trading also showed that price fixing was widespread amongst many prominent football clubs and associations in the UK.