Views on just what good-value hotel deals online bookers are getting are being sought by fair trading chiefs in the UK.

The full force of the law should be available against oil executives who are found to have fixed prices, UK Prime Minister David Cameron has indicated.

Household drinks brands Lucozade and Ribena are set to be put up for sale for as much as €1.1bn, it was reported today.

The UK’s Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has accused GlaxoSmithKline of paying generic manufacturers to delay the production of a generic equivalent of its antidepressant paroxetine, which it makes in Cork.

Drugs giant GlaxoSmithKline was today accused by the UK's competition watchdog of paying off firms to delay the launch of cheap versions of its antidepressant treatment in a move that denied the British National Health Service “significant” cost savings.

So-called “free” web and app-based games for children are under investigation in the UK following concerns that users can run up substantial costs.

Mercedes-Benz and three commercial vehicle dealers are to pay fines totalling £2.6m (€2.98m) following an inquiry into market rigging.

The UK's trading watchdog has imposed new requirements on NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), following concerns about banks apparently being overly-zealous when linking people’s unpaid debts to their homes.

Ryanair has appointed the former secretary general of the Department of Transport, Julie O’Neill, to the board of Ryanair Holdings.

Ryanair yesterday criticised the British Office of Fair Trading (OFT) for what it said were attempts to “distance itself” from its role in the airline’s 2% increase on credit card bookings, which comes into force from today.

Fair trading officials today clashed with Ryanair over the reason the Irish airline gave for introducing extra charges for its passengers.

Several payday lenders are facing formal investigations over the use of “aggressive debt collection” methods, the trading watchdog said today.

Payday lender Wonga has seen UK profits surge after approving nearly 2.5 million short-term loans in its last financial year.

Britain’s Office of Fair Trading is forcing airlines to include debit card surcharges in the headline prices that they advertise.

The news that Ryanair has launched yet another takeover bid for Aer Lingus would ordinarily strike fear into the hearts and minds of the traveling public.

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) in the UK has referred Ryanair's stake in Aer Lingus to the Competition Commission.

Britain’s Office of Fair Trading has until June 18 to complete its investigation into Ryanair’s minority stake in Aer Lingus, after Ryanair failed to secure a Supreme Court order to halt the investigation.

The UK's motor insurance market was today facing an investigation by the Competition Commission after a report found the market was “dysfunctional” and pushed up premiums by £225m (€281m) a year.

Ryanair is appealing directly to the UK Supreme Court to try to stop the Office of Fair Trading from investigating the airline’s shareholding and attempted takeover of Aer Lingus six years ago.

THE collapse of Home Payments Ltd highlighted the urgent need to regulate commercial fee-charging debt management firms.

RYANAIR has lost a ruling to block Britain’s anti-trust regulator from investigating its minority stake in Aer Lingus, acquired four years ago.

The News of the World paid protection officers for personal details about the Queen and other senior royals, according to emails handed to police.

Britain's Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg today stepped up the pressure on Rupert Murdoch, urging him to reconsider his takeover bid for broadcaster BSkyB.

RYANAIR, the airline that charges €10 (£12) for using a debit card to buy a return ticket online, will have difficulty defending the fees during a British antitrust investigation, lawyers said.

Seven insurance companies – including UK giants Aviva and Royal Sun Alliance - are under investigation after the UK's consumer watchdog raised concerns over the use of industry software which could lead to illegal price co-ordination.

The planned merger of the high street travel businesses of Thomas Cook and the Co-op has been referred to the UK's Office of Fair Trading for investigation, it emerged today.

The proposed merger of the high street travel businesses of Thomas Cook and the Co-op was dealt a blow today after the Office of Fair Trading said the move significantly threatened competition.

Britain’s Office of Fair Trading (OFT) today launched a merger investigation in to Ryanair’s minority stake in fellow Irish airline Aer Lingus.

Asda must sell a quarter of Netto’s UK stores in order to gain clearance for its £778m acquisition of the discount chain, it emerged today.

An inquiry was under way today into alleged cartel activity involving commercial vehicle manufacturers, the UK's Office of Fair Trading said.

Battered oil giant BP was hit by another sell-off today as £5bn (€6.06bn) was wiped off the value of the blue-chip heavyweight.

Shell-shocked investors in BP saw shares fall by as much as 12% today as angry US politicians threatened a legal challenge to block it paying dividends.

UK investment banks are to come under the glare of the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) after the watchdog today announced a study into some of their fees and services.

London: The British Office of Fair Trading reduced fines imposed on supermarkets and food producers who admitted to colluding on dairy prices, after dropping some allegations because of insufficient evidence.

Virgin Atlantic blew the whistle on an alleged price-fixing cartel with British Airways because it wanted to win the race for immunity and save itself millions of pounds, a British court heard today.

The UK competition watchdog today hit 10 retailers and two tobacco manufacturers with fines totalling £225m (€255.9m) for "unlawful practices" in pricing of cigarettes, cigars and rolling tobacco.

Part-nationalised Royal Bank of Scotland was today fined £28.6m (€31.8m) for breaking competition law after revealing details of its loan prices to rival Barclays.

BRITAIN’s Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has effectively approved Independent News & Media’s (INM) proposed sale of its two London-based newspapers to Russian tycoon, Alexander Lebedev – although no update on the sale process has actually been given by the company itself.

Britain's largest mobile phone operator is to be created this week as the proposed merger of Orange and T-Mobile is expected to win approval from European regulators, it was reported today.

DRINKS group C&C has reported a 9% year-on-year drop in third quarter revenue; driven by sales declines in its core cider business.

RYANAIR has responded angrily to a sharply worded attack from Britain’s business watchdog, who labelled the airline’s online charging mechanism “puerile” and “almost childish”.

Ryanair today rejected comments by the head of Britain's business watchdog the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) as "disappointing and wrong".

The head of UK business watchdog, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) today criticised budget airline Ryanair over aspects of its charging policy.