Ronan Dunne: It might be time for a change in our competition law policy 

We may need to better align competition policy with that other crucial pillar of our economic landscape, industrial policy

Steps to consolidate businesses may run into problems at the Berlaymont in Brussels, with the European Commission already blocking one proposed rail merger. Picture: iStock

The role that competition law plays in our day-to-day activities has come to the fore in recent times, particularly in relation to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis which has dominated the news in the past weeks and months.

Our competition watchdog, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), came in for scrutiny following its preliminary advice which “strongly advised” the Government against introducing price controls in the grocery market after the recent Retail Forum meetings. The CCPC said it had not seen any evidence to suggest that an emergency or market failure exists in relation to the grocery market which would warrant such action, or that price controls would benefit consumers.