The consequences of breaching competition law can be severe. Explore the biggest competition law fines for each year from 2020 onwards with our comprehensive report.
Competition law is vital for ensuring fair market practices and protecting consumers from monopolistic and collusive behaviour.
Each year, global regulators impose significant fines on companies that violate these laws, reinforcing the importance of competition and deterring anti-competitive practices.
From 6 April 2025, the UK’s consumer protection law has changed significantly with the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCC Act). The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) now has direct enforcement powers, allowing it to investigate, decide, and fine companies up to 10% of global turnover for breaching consumer protection rules—without needing to go through the courts. This marks a major shift from the slow, court-dependent system that has been in place.
This comprehensive report examines the largest competition law fines issued annually from 2020 to 2025. It highlights the industries, practices, and regulatory actions that have shaped the enforcement landscape and serves as a resource for organisations aiming to understand and adhere to competition law standards.
Biggest competition law fines in 2025
- Apple: €500m fine
- Meta: €200m fine
- Citi, HSBC, Morgan Stanley and Royal Bank of Canada: £104m total fines
- BT, IMG, ITV and BBC: £4.2m total fines
Take a closer look at each of 2025's competition law fines
Biggest competition law fines in 2024
- Apple: €1.84bn fine
- Mondelēz: €337.5m fine
- Keltbray: £20m fine
- Swisscom: $19.7m fine
- Apple: $13.7m fine
Take a closer look at each of 2024's competition law fines
Biggest competition law fines in 2023
- Illumina: $476m fine
- Apple & Amazon: €194m fine
- British American Tobacco (BAT): $110m fine
- Construction Firms: £59.3m fine
- Copart: £2.5m failure to comply
- Leicester City FC: £880k fine
- Interactive Brokers: $538k fine
- Asda: £60k fine
Take a closer look at each of 2023's competition law fines
Biggest competition law fines in 2022
- Pfizer & Flynn: £70m fine
- Mastercard: £31.5m fine
- Focus: £15.5m fine
- JD Sports: £4.3m fine
- Dar Lighting: £1.5m fine
- Facebook: £1.5m fine
Take a closer look at each of 2022's competition law fines
Biggest competition law fines in 2021
- Google: £89m fine
- JPMorgan: £60m settlement
- German Steel Forgers: £30m fine
- Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean: £13m fine
- Valve Corporation: £6.7m fine
- Roland: £5m fine
Take a closer look at each of 2021's competition law fines
Biggest competition law fines in 2020
- Google: £109m fine
- Teva & Cephalon: £51.9m fine
- Compare the Market: £17.9m fine
- Apotex: £17.4m fine
- NBCUniversal: £16.7m fine
- Kiekert & Brose: £15.4m fine
- Roland & Korg: £5.5m fine
- Fender Europe: £4.5m fine
- UK Drug Firms: £3.4m fine
Take a closer look at each of 2020's competition law fines
Competition Law fines in 2025: A closer look
1. Apple - €500m fine
The European Commission has fined Apple €500 million for violating the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). Meta was also fined along with Apple, marking the first penalties under this major tech regulation aimed at ensuring fair competition and greater user choice.
Apple was penalised for restricting app developers from promoting cheaper alternatives outside the App Store, limiting consumer access to better deals. It has 60 days to remove these restrictions or face further fines. Meta’s fine relates to similar issues around platform dominance. While these fines are well below the potential maximum (10% of global turnover), EU officials said they reflect the law's recent implementation.
The Commission also closed another probe into Apple after the company allowed EU users more control over default apps and system settings. The EU emphasised that all companies must respect its laws and values, despite US criticism that the regulations unfairly target American firms. Apple announced plans to appeal, arguing the decision compromises user privacy and product quality.
2. Meta - €200m fine
Meta has been fined €200 million by the European Commission for its "consent or pay" model on Facebook and Instagram, introduced in November 2023. This model gave EU users a choice: either agree to have their data used for targeted ads or pay for an ad-free experience.
The EU ruled that this approach violated the DMA, stating users should be offered a personalised service that uses less intrusive data, not just a binary choice. The fine relates to Meta's noncompliance since the DMA became enforceable in March 2024, though EU regulators are still reviewing a revised version of Meta’s model launched in November 2024.
While the fine is far below the potential maximum of 10% of Meta’s global revenue, EU officials said they accounted for the law’s newness and the short duration of the infringement. Meta plans to appeal, accusing the Commission of unfairly targeting US companies and imposing an "inferior" business model.
Industry groups criticised the EU's enforcement as unpredictable, while consumer advocates welcomed the action, saying tech giants had ample time but chose to delay and distort compliance.
3. Citi, HSBC, Morgan Stanley and Royal Bank of Canada - £104m total fine
Four major banks – Citi, HSBC, Morgan Stanley, and Royal Bank of Canada – will pay over £100 million in fines after settling with the UK’s CMA for sharing sensitive pricing information in private chatrooms about UK government bonds (gilts) between 2009 and 2013.
The misconduct involved individual traders exchanging confidential details about gilt and gilt asset swap trading in one-to-one Bloomberg chats, undermining market competition. Gilts are vital instruments used by the UK government to raise funds for public spending.
Deutsche Bank, which first reported the conduct, was granted immunity under the CMA’s leniency programme. Citi also received a reduced fine for cooperating early. All banks have since implemented robust compliance measures, and the case is now closed.
Final fine amounts:
- Citi: £17.2m (including leniency and early settlement discounts)
- HSBC: £23.4m
- Morgan Stanley: £29.7m
- Royal Bank of Canada: £34.2m
The CMA has stressed the importance of independent pricing decisions to maintain fair competition and trust in financial markets.
4. BT, IMG, ITV and BBC - £4.2m total fines
The UK’s CMA has fined BT, IMG, ITV, and the BBC a total of £4.24 million for illegally sharing sensitive information about freelance pay, including day rates for technical roles like camera operators and sound engineers. The firms admitted to 15 instances of collusion, often with the aim of coordinating rates and avoiding competitive bidding.
The conduct occurred between 2014 and 2021 and affected freelance staff working on major sports broadcasts such as football and rugby. Sky avoided a fine by reporting the issue first under the CMA’s leniency programme. BT, IMG, and ITV also received discounted fines for cooperating with the investigation.
The CMA stressed the importance of competition in labour markets, warning that coordinated pay undermines fair compensation and worker mobility. The authority is also closing a related investigation into non-sports TV production, opting instead to issue warnings and provide future guidance on legal compliance in labour markets.
Final fine amounts:
- BT: £1.74 million
- IMG: £1.74 million
- ITV: £339,918
- BBC: £424,165
- Sky: £0 (immunity for early disclosure)
The CMA will issue further guidance for employers on avoiding anti-competitive behaviour in hiring practices.
Competition Law fines in 2024: A closer look
1. Apple - €1.84bn fine
Apple was fined by the European Commission for abusing its dominance in the music streaming market. The company imposed restrictions on rivals like Spotify, preventing them from informing customers about cheaper subscription options outside Apple's App Store. This anti-competitive behaviour limited consumer choice and reinforced Apple's monopoly.
2. Mondelēz - €337.5m fine
The European Commission penalised Mondelēz for restricting cross-border sales of its chocolate products. By limiting traders' ability to sell products across borders and demanding higher export prices, Mondelēz exploited market price disparities of up to 40% between EU nations, impacting fair trade.
3. Keltbray - £20m fine
The CMA reinstated a £20m fine against demolition company Keltbray for engaging in cover bidding. This practice involved colluding with competitors to rig tenders, artificially inflating project costs and depriving clients of fair competition in bidding processes.
4. Swisscom - $19.7m fine
Swisscom was fined by the Swiss Federal Competition Commission for using single-mode fibre cables in its network infrastructure. This choice hindered fair competition by making it harder for competitors to provide high-speed services, prompting regulators to mandate cable upgrades or risk shutdowns.
5. Apple - $13.7m fine
Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service fined Apple for restricting in-app payment options. By mandating its own payment systems, Apple gave itself an unfair advantage, disadvantaging competing platforms. Apple’s appeal was dismissed, solidifying the penalty.
Competition law fines in 2023: A closer look
1. Illumina - $476m fine
Illumina was fined globally for anti-competitive practices in the DNA sequencing market. The company used exclusive contracts and strategic acquisitions to block competitors, stifling innovation and reducing market choice for smaller firms.
2. Apple & Amazon - €194m fine
Spain’s competition watchdog fined Apple and Amazon for collusion in online sales. The companies' 2018 agreement restricted competition by favouring Apple’s products and excluding competitors from Amazon’s platform, harming consumer choice in electronics.
3. British American Tobacco - $110m fine
The Nigerian Competition Commission fined BAT for abusing its dominance to penalise retailers that supported competing brands. The investigation revealed that BAT leveraged its power to suppress competition, violating public health regulations.
4. Construction Firms - £59.3m fine
Ten UK construction companies were fined for cartel activity, including bid rigging on demolition contracts. This construction company collusion led to inflated costs and reduced service quality on key projects, including public institutions like universities and police training centres.
5. Copart - £2.5m failure to comply
Copart was fined for violating merger rules during its acquisition of Hills Motors. The CMA determined that the company failed to comply with an Initial Enforcement Order, which required both firms to operate independently until the investigation concluded.
6. Leicester City FC - £880k fine
The football club colluded with JD Sports to limit competition in selling branded merchandise. Leicester City agreed to restrict prices, disadvantaging competitors and impacting customer access to cheaper alternatives.
"The fine that Leicester City FC and its parent companies have agreed to pay sends a clear message to them and other businesses that anti-competitive collusion will not be tolerated."
7. Interactive Brokers - $538k fine
Australia’s financial regulator penalised Interactive Brokers for allowing a trader to engage in spoofing, a market manipulation technique. Despite receiving warnings, the firm failed to act, enabling further suspicious activities.
8. Asda - £60k fine
The CMA fined Asda for non-compliance during its fuel pricing inquiry. Asda failed to provide the requested data and sent representatives unable to address critical investigation topics.
"Drivers buying fuel at supermarkets in 2022 have paid around 6 pence per litre more than they would have done otherwise due to the four major supermarkets increasing their margins. This will have had a greater impact on vulnerable people, particularly those in areas with less choice of fuel stations. We need to reignite competition among fuel retailers."
- Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive, CMA
Competition law fines in 2022: A closer look
1. Pfizer & Flynn - £70m fine
Pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and Flynn were fined for overcharging the NHS for epilepsy medication. After rebranding the drug to avoid price caps, the companies increased prices by up to 1,600%, costing the NHS millions annually. The CMA concluded this abuse of dominance harmed the public healthcare system.
2. Mastercard - £31.5m fine
Mastercard and four other firms (Allpay, Advanced Payment Solutions (APS), Prepaid Financial Services (PFS) and Sulion) engaged in cartel behaviour in the prepaid cards market. The Payment Systems Regulator found the companies agreed not to compete for public sector contracts, limiting choice and inflating costs for local authorities.
3. Focus: £15.5m fine
Focus and three other pharmaceutical companies were fined for limiting supply and increasing prices of anti-nausea drugs. Their collusion caused a 700% price hike, forcing the NHS to pay significantly more for essential medication.
“These firms conspired to stifle competition in the supply of this important medication so that the NHS – the main buyer of the drugs – lost the opportunity for increased choice and lower prices."
4. JD Sports - £4.3m fine
The CMA fined JD Sports for sharing sensitive commercial information with Footasylum during their blocked merger. JD Sports failed to prevent breaches of confidentiality, undermining the merger review process.
5. Dar Lighting - £1.5m fine
Dar Lighting was fined for restricting the online discounting of its products. By limiting price competition, the company deprived consumers of the benefits of shopping around.
6. Facebook - £1.5m fine
Meta (formerly Facebook) breached UK competition law during its merger with Giphy. The CMA penalised Meta for failing to disclose significant business changes, such as key staff resignations, violating its obligations under the investigation.
Competition law fines in 2021: A closer look
1. Google - £89m fine
Italy’s competition authority fined Google for blocking a rival electric vehicle app from accessing its Android Auto platform. The authority determined Google’s actions unfairly limited consumer choice and protected its services from competition.
2. JPMorgan - £60m settlement
JPMorgan settled with regulators for manipulating the precious metals market through spoofing, a practice of placing fake trades to influence prices. The bank’s activities misled other traders and distorted market conditions over several years.
3. German Steel Forgers - £30m fine
Several steel companies (CDP Bharat Forge and Bharat Forge CDP - both belonging to the Indian Bharat Forge group - and Johann Hay GmbH & Co. KG Automobiltechnik) were fined for exchanging sensitive pricing and market information over 14 years. Their cartel agreements drove up costs for manufacturers and consumers across Europe.
4. Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean - £13m fine
The Federal Court of Australia fined WWO for participating in a shipping cartel. The company colluded with competitors to allocate routes for vehicle imports, raising shipping costs and reducing competition.
5. Valve Corporation - £6.7m fine
Valve and five gaming publishers (Bandai Namco, Capcom, Focus Home, Koch Media and ZeniMax) were fined by the European Commission for geo-blocking PC games. Their agreements prevented consumers from activating games purchased in lower-priced regions, restricting cross-border trade.
6. Roland - £5m fine
Roland was fined for restricting online discounts on its electronic drum kits. The CMA also increased the fine due to Roland's breach of a settlement agreement during the investigation.
Competition law fines in 2020: A closer look
1. Google - £109m fine
France’s competition watchdog fined Google for anti-competitive practices in online advertising. The company’s opaque and inconsistent rules for suspending advertisers limited fair competition in the digital ad market.
2. Teva & Cephalon - £51.9m fine
The European Commission fined these pharmaceutical companies for violating EU competition law via a pay-for-delay agreement that postponed the entry of cheaper generic versions of a sleep disorder drug. This collusion harmed patients and healthcare providers across the EU.
3. Compare the Market - £17.9m fine
The CMA fined Compare the Market for imposing contract clauses that restricted insurers from offering lower prices on other platforms. These actions stifled competition and inflated insurance premiums.
4. Apotex - £17.4m fine
Apotex was fined for price-fixing in the generic medication market. The company colluded with competitors to maintain artificially high prices for cholesterol drugs.
5. NBCUniversal - £16.7m fine
NBCUniversal faced penalties for restricting cross-border sales of licensed merchandise. This practice, which involved hundreds of products, denied consumers access to better prices across the EU.
6. Kiekert & Brose - £15.4m fine
These car part suppliers were fined for operating cartels that fixed prices and divided markets for components like door latches and window regulators. Their actions increased costs for manufacturers and consumers.
7. Roland & Korg - £5.5m fine
The CMA fined these musical instrument manufacturers for restricting online discounts. Their ‘resale price maintenance’ agreements prevented customers from benefiting from competitive pricing.
8. Fender Europe: £4.5m fine
Fender was penalised for illegal price-fixing in its guitar sales. The company pressured retailers to maintain high online prices, limiting competition and consumer choice.
"Quite simply, this behaviour is against the law. The fact the CMA has imposed large fines on major musical instrument firms Casio and Fender in a matter of months should be a lesson to this industry and any other company considering illegal behaviour."
9. UK Drug Firms: £3.4m fine
Several pharmaceutical companies (King Pharmaceuticals, Auden Mckenzie, Accord-UK, Lexon (UK) Ltd and Alissa Healthcare Research) colluded to fix prices and divide markets for antidepressant drugs. Their actions artificially inflated costs, impacting the NHS and taxpayers.
"If pharmaceutical companies get together to restrict competition for the supply of a drug, this can lead to the NHS - and ultimately the UK taxpayer - paying over the odds for what are often essential medical treatments."
Want to learn more about competition compliance?
We have created a series of comprehensive roadmaps to help you navigate the compliance landscape, supported by several financial crime prevention courses in our Essentials Library.
We also have additional free resources such as e-learning modules, microlearning modules, and more.
Explore our collectionWritten by: Emmeline de Chazal
Emmeline is an experienced digital editor and content marketing executive. She has a demonstrated history of working in both the education management and software industries. Emmeline has a degree in business science and her skillset includes Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and digital marketing analytics. She is passionate about education and utilising her skills to encourage greater access to e-learning.
