Rangers have been fined by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for their role in fixing the retail prices of the Ibrox club’s kits alongside Elite Sports and JD Sports.
The government body has concluded that all three parties colluded to stop JD Sports from undercutting the price of the jerseys online between September 2018 and July 2019.
Rangers are only guilty of being involved in the collusion between September 2018 and November 2018 and as a result, have been fined the lowest amount of the three parties.
The three fines top £2m, with Elite Sports being handed a £459k fine, JD Sports a £1.485m fine and Rangers being handed a fine of £225k.
CMA executive director of enforcement Michael Grenfell welcomed the outcome and claimed that all three parties worked together to “keep prices high”.
“At a time when many people are worried about the rising cost of living, it is important that football fans are able to benefit from competitively priced merchandise,” said Grenfell [CMA].
“Instead, Elite, JD Sports and, to some extent, Rangers, worked together to keep prices high.
“Today’s decision sends a clear message to football clubs and other businesses that illegal anti-competitive collusion will not be tolerated.”
Rangers retail embarrassment continues with CMA fine
Rangers appear to have no end to the complications with their retail operations and this situation will stand as an unnecessary embarrassment and cost to the club’s finances.
Beyond that, Rangers fans have also been let down by the club in their endeavours to buy kit at the most affordable price.
Rangers were infamously embroiled in a long-running court dispute with Sports Direct and Mike Ashley regarding the club’s retail operations, with this finally being settled earlier in the year.
However, the High St billionaire continues to frustrate Rangers fans and the club with a series of premature kit launches undermining the club’s retail operations this year.